Glial Cells Flashcards
What are glia or glial cells?
The non-neuronal cells found in the nervous system.
How are new glial cells produced?
New glial cells are produced throughout the life of an organism.
What do Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells have in common?
Both myelinating glial.
What is the difference between Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells?
Oligodendrocytes myelinate axons in the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord), Schwann cells myelinate axons in the peripheral nervous system (the nerves in your tissues, skin, muscles, internal organs, etc.).
What is the most common type of glial cell?
Astrocyte.
What the roles of an astrocyte?
One critical role of astrocytes is to regulate the chemical makeup of the extracellular fluid in the space between the cells in the nervous system. Astrocytes do this by removing excess signaling molecules and maintaining the proper balance of ions. They can also react to tissue damage. Astrocytes send out long extensions that wrap around blood vessels in the brain to form part of the blood brain barrier.
What does the blood barrier do?
The blood barrier keeps infections from damaging the neurons.
What are the restrictions of the blood barrier?
The blood barrier makes it more difficult for nutrient molecules to pass from the bloodstream into the brain to nourish the cells there. The restriction of the blood brain barrier also makes it more difficult to deliver drugs to the brain that might be helpful in treating diseases or disorders of the nervous system.
What are microglia?
They are smaller than the other glial cells (micro) and they are the immune cells of the brain.
What do microglia do?
They protect the brain from toxins, diseases, invaders, bacteria, and virues.
Why does the brain need seperate immune cells?
The brain needs separate immune cells because of the blood barrier which isolates the brain.
What are the negatives of microglia?
Microglia can cause inflammation in the brain (alzheimer’s) because of hyperactive microglia.
