Development of the Nervous system Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the formation of the neural tube:

A
  • Proliferation of the ectoderm in the dorsal midline of the embryonic disc called the neural plate
  • Thickens and starts to fold up at the sides
  • Two folds fuse dorsally to form a tube
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2
Q

Describe the formation of the neural crests:

A

A little bunch of cells at the tip of the neural fold separate from the neural tube and lie alongside it

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3
Q

What is present at the end of Early development of the nervous system?

A

At the end of this process you have a neural tube lying in the midline dorsally in the embryo and on either side of this you have two strips of neural crest tissue

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4
Q

What are the Neural Tube and Neural Crest sources of?

A

Neural Tube = All CNS cells

Neural Crest = All PNS cells

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5
Q

What is the neuroepithelium?

A

The wall of the neural tube

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6
Q

What three types of cells come from the neuroepithelium?

A

Neuroblasts

Glioblasts

Ependymal Cells

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7
Q

What do Neuroblasts differentiate into?

A

All neurones with cell bodies in the CNS

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8
Q

What do Glioblasts differentiate into?

A

Astrocytes and Oligodendrocytes

(Neuroglia)

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9
Q

What are Ependymal cells?

A

Cells lining the ventricles and central canal

They remain close to the inner membrane of the neural tube and they spread out and form a lining around the developing ventricular system

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10
Q

What do Neural crest cells differentiate into?

A
  • Sensory neurones of the dorsal root ganglia
  • Postganglionic autonomic neurons
  • Schwann cells
  • Non-neuronal derivatives e.g. melanocytes
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11
Q

Where do Motor Neurones originate from?

A

Neuroepithelium as they are neuroblasts because they have almost all their axons in the PNS but their cell bodies are in the CNS

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12
Q

Describe the organisation of the Neuroepithelium tissue:

A

Outer membrane

Neural Tube cells (Pseudostratified)

Dividing cells at the bottom

Inner membrane

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13
Q

Describe the process of Neuroepithelium differentiation:

A
  • Cells withdraw from outer membrane towards inner membrane and undergo mitosis
  • One daughter cell stays attached to the inner membrane and continues dividing
  • The other migrates away from the inner membrane then develops into a neuroblast
  • They develop processes (one will become the axon) which are further directed away from the inner membrane
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14
Q

What is the structure of the Neuroepithelium after initial differentiation has occurred?

A

Three layers:

White Matter - Axons

Grey Matter - Cell Bodies

Ependymal Layer - Dividing cells

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15
Q

What is the difference between the differentiation of Neuroblasts and Glioblasts?

A

Glioblasts show similar pattern of differentiation but can also migrate into White matter as well

Glioblasts do not develop axons (but do develop processes)

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16
Q

Label the layers of the Neural Tube in Cross-section

A
17
Q

What controls the differentiation of cells?

A

Signalling molecules secreted by surrounding tissue which interact with receptors on the surface of neuroblasts

•Control migration & axonal growth by attraction and repulsion depending on concentration gradient & timing

18
Q

What happens to the Neural Canal as the spinal cord further develops?

A

It becomes even smaller relative to the thickenss of the wall

19
Q

What happens to the grey matter as the spinal cord develops further?

A

It splits into two types:

Alar Plate - Dorsal

Basal Plate - Ventral

20
Q

What happens in the Alar Plate?

A

The interneurones are becoming specialised to receive sensory information and this information comes from the developing dorsal root ganglia that have developed from the neural crest

21
Q

What happens in the Basal Plate of the developing spinal cord?

A

Development of Motor Neurones - The Basal Plate has a motor function - the axons leave the spinal cord to go towards the muscles

22
Q

What happens to the neural crest cells in the developing spinal cord?

A

They form sensory neurones in the dorsal root ganglion

23
Q

Label this Mature Spinal Cord:

A
24
Q

What becomes of the neural canal in the mature spinal cord?

A

It becomes the central canal carrying CSF

25
Q

What do the Alar Plates develop into in the mature spinal cord?

A

Dorsal Horns

26
Q

What do the Basal Plates develop into in the Mature spinal cord?

A

Ventral Horns

27
Q

What causes Dorso-ventral Patterning?

A

the Notochord and Ectoderm

The Notochord (ventral to the developing neural tube) produces signalling molecules establishing a concentration gradient so the closest cells are induced to become Motor Neurones (in the basal plates)

The ectoderm (dorsal to the neural tube) also produces signalling molecules that tend to inhibit differentiation to motor neurones

28
Q

What develops into the brain?

A

The anterior of the neural tube

29
Q

The wall of the anterior neural tube develops to form what?

(at how many weeks of development?)

A

Three primary vesicles:

Prosencephalon - Future forebrain

Mesencephalon - Future midbrain

Rhombencephalon - Future hindbrain

(around four weeks)

30
Q

What happens to the developing brain in the fifth week?

A

Prosencephalon divides in two

(into Telencephalon and diencephalon)

Rhobencephalon divides in two

(Pons and Medulla)

31
Q

Label this diagram of the developing brain at 5 weeks

A
32
Q

What happens to the Neural canal in the developing brain?
What does it become?

A

The space in it becomes smaller relative to the wall

It forms the ventricular system

33
Q

How does the Cerebellum develop?

A

It pouches out from the back of the pons

Quite late in development

34
Q

Label these folds of the developing brain:

A
35
Q

Recall what the folding of the Brain looks like as development progresses:

A
36
Q

What happens in the development of the brainstem?

A
  • The fourth ventricle develops from the neural canal
  • The roof plate rapidly proliferates so the dorsal part expands laterally
  • The expanding roof plate pushes the alar plates aside
37
Q

Where are the Cranial, Motor, Sensory and Autonomic nerve nuclei located in the developing brainstem?

A

Cranial (that have motor function) = Medial

Motor = Medial

Sensory = Lateral

Autonomic = in between

38
Q

How does the cortex develop?

A
  • Neuroblasts are proliferating near the inner membrane
  • Some will stay in the middle and form the basal ganglia
  • The others migrate towards the outer membrane
  • This happens in waves of proliferation and migration until there are six layers of cells within the cerebral cortex
  • Each layer has different cell types with different functions and connections
39
Q

How do neuroblasts migrate towards the outer membrane in the development of the cortex?

A

Neuroblasts attach themselves to radial glial cells which have their cell bodies anchored in the inner membrane and have a single long process that goes tot eh outer membrane

They climb up this process