HISTOLOGY LAB: NERVOUS TISSUE Flashcards
What are the two main components of nervous tissue?
Neurons and neuroglia (glial cells).
What is the primary function of neurons?
Computation and communication (sensation and reactions to stimuli).
How do neurons communicate with target cells?
By being electrically active and releasing chemical signals.
Where can neurons be found?
In both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).
What role do neuroglia (glial cells) play in nervous tissue?
They provide support for neurons, allowing them to perform their functions.
Define stimuli in the context of nervous tissue.
Anything that causes an action or response.
What is tropism?
A response to light.
What type of neuron has one process extending from the cell body?
Unipolar neuron.
Identify the type of neuron with two major processes (axon and dendrite).
Bipolar neuron.
What is a multipolar neuron?
A neuron with more than two processes (one axon and multiple dendrites).
What is a pseudounipolar neuron?
A neuron with two major processes that are fused, found in spinal and cranial nerve ganglia.
What is the role of the cell body (soma) in a neuron?
It serves as the life support center for the neuron.
What function do dendrites serve in neurons?
They receive messages from other cells.
What is the function of axons?
They pass messages (neural impulses) from one neuron to another or to an effector cell.
How does the myelin sheath affect neural impulses?
It covers the axon and speeds up the transmission of impulses.
What do terminal branches of the axon do?
They form junctions with other cells to transmit signals.
What is the axon hillock?
The part of the neuron that sums up all signals received before passing them on.
What is the function of the Node of Ranvier?
It propagates electrical signals by allowing the entry and exit of ions.
What role do synaptic end bulbs play in neuron communication?
They store neurotransmitters which are released into the synaptic cleft to transmit impulses.
What type of glial cell myelinates axons in the CNS?
Oligodendrocytes.
What is the role of astrocytes in the nervous system?
They maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the environment for neurons.
What function do microglia serve?
They engulf foreign materials and provide immunity in the nervous system.
What is the role of ependymal cells?
They produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the hollow cavities of the brain.
What are Schwann cells responsible for?
Myelination and support of axons in the peripheral nervous system.
What do satellite cells do in nervous tissue?
They supply nutrients to surrounding neurons and help regulate their environment.
