Exam 3 - Muscular/Nervous System Flashcards
Components of the Central Nervous System
Brain and Spinal Cord
Components of the Peripheral Nervous System
Cranial nerves, spinal nerves, ganglia, and plexuses
Gray Matter
Areas in the CNS that contain neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons; they have a dusky gray color
White Matter
Regions in the CNS that are dominated by myelinated axons.
Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System
Somatic and Autonomic
Somatic Nervous System
Controls skeletal and muscle contractions
Autonomic Nervous System
Automatically regulates smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glandular secretions and adipose tissue at the subconscious level
Neuron
Basic functional unit of the nervous system; perform all the communication, information processing, and control functions of the nervous system.
Neuroglia
Supporting cell of the neuron; have functions essential to the survival and functionality of neurons and to preserving the physical and biochemical structure of the neural tissue.
Cell Body
Contains a large, round nucleus with a prominent nucleolus
Perikaryon
The cytoplasm surrounding the nucleus in the cell body
Dendrites
A variable number of slender, sensitive processes which extend out from the cell body.
Play key roles in intercellular communication
Axon
Long cytoplasmic process capable of propagating an electrical impulse known as an action potential
Axoplasm
The cytoplasm of the axon
Axolemma
A specialized portion of the plasma membrane that surrounds the axoplasm.
Classification of Neurons by Structure
Anaxonal, Bipolar, Unipolar, Multipolar
Classification of Neurons by Function
Sensory, Motor, Interneurons
Anaxonal Neurons
Small and have numerous dendrites, but no axon.
Located in the brain and in special sense organs.
Bipolar Neurons
Have two distinct processes - one dendrite that branches extensively into dendritic branches at its distal tip, and one axon-with the cell body between the two.
Rare; they occur in special sense organs, where they relay information about sign, smell, or hearing from receptor cells to other neurons.
Unipolar Neurons
The dendrites and axon are continuous-basically fused- and the cell body lies off to one side.
The initial segment lies where the dendrites converge. The rest of the process, which carries action potentials, is usually considered an axon.
Most sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system are unipolar.
Multipolar Neurons
Have two or more dendrites and a single axon.
They are the most common neurons in the CNS. All the motor neurons that control skeletal muscles are multipolar neuron.
Sensory Neurons
Afferent; Deliver information from sensory receptors to the CNS
Types of Sensory Neurons
Interoceptors, Exteroceptors, Proprioceptors
Interoceptors
Monitor the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, and reproductive system and provide sensations of distention (stretch), deep pressure, and pain.
Exteroceptors
Provide information about the external environment in the form of touch, temperature, or pressure sensations and the more complex senses of taste, smell, sight, equilibrium (balance), and hearing.
Proprioceptors
Monitor the position and movement of skeletal muscles and joints.
Motor Neurons
Carry instructions from the CNS to the peripheral effectors in a peripheral tissue, organ, or organ system.
Interneurons
Located between sensory and motor neurons; distribute sensory information and coordinate motor activity.
The more complex the response to a given stimulus, the more interneurons involved.
Four Types of Neuroglia in the CNS
- Ependymal Cells
- Astrocytes
- Oligodendrocytes
- Microglia
Ependymal Cells
Line the central canal and ventricles of the CNS, where they form a simple cuboidal to columnar epithelium (known as ependyma)
Astrocytes
Largest and most numerous neuroglia in the CNS
Functions:
- Maintaining the blood-brain barrier
- Repairing damaged neural tissue
- Guiding neuron development
- Controlling the Interstitial Environment
Oligodendrocytes
Have slender cytoplasmic extensions but the cell bodies are smaller with fewer processes than astrocytes
Processes generally are in contact with the exposed surfaces of neurons.
Microglia
The least numerous and smallest neuroglia in the CNS are phagocytic cells
Their slender processes have many fine branches; these cells can migrate through neural tissue
Migrate into the CNS as the nervous system forms. There they remain, acting a wandering janitorial service and police force by engulfing cellular debris, waste products, and pathogens.
Schwann Cells
Either form a thick, myelin sheath or indented folds of plasma membrane around peripheral axons
Satellite Cells
Surround neuron cell bodies in ganglia
They regulate the environment around the neurons.
Types of Membrane Potentials
Resting membrane potential, graded potential, action potential, synaptic activity, information porocessing
Factors Contributing to Membrane Potentials
- Extracellular Fluid (ECF) and Intracellular Fluid (Cytosol) differ greatly in ionic composition - The ECF contains high concentrations of Sodium and Chlorine ions whereas the cytosol contains high concentration of potasium ions and negatively charged proteins.
- Cells have selectively permeable membrane - Ions cannot freely cross the lipid portions of the plasma membrane, they can entor or leave the cell only through the membrane channels.
Electrochemical Gradient
For a specific ion, the sum of the chemical and electrical forces acting on that ion across the plasma membrane
The Na/K Pump
Maintains the concentration of sodium and potassium ions across the plasma membrane.
Leak Channels
Always open; Their permeability can vary from moment to moment as the protein that make up the channel change shape in response to local conditions.
Gated Channels
Open or close in response to specific stimuli. Each gated channel can be in one of three states:
- Closed but capable of opening
- Open
- Closed and incapable of opening