Intro to Neuropath Flashcards
Neurons
1) main function
2) structure
3) replicative or non-replicative in brain?
1) transfer information in NS
2) large round, vesicular nucleus with inner nucleolus
dark Nissl substance (RER)
axons have neurofilaments = specialized intermediate fibers + tubules
3) non-replicative in brain
describe neurofilaments and neurotubules
what are they crosslinked by?
neurofilament = specialized cytoskeletal intermediate fibers (10 nm)
neurotubules = intermediate fibers that form tubules (20-26 nm) made of alpha/beta tubulin
crosslinked by tau protein and microtubule assoc proteins
what happens if axon of neuron damaged?
what is it called?
central chromatolysis
Nissl disappears
soma swells
nucleus displaced to side
neurons are particularly vulnerable to __ and ___ due to high metabolic rate
what changes are seen to reflect necrosis under these conditions?
name?
features?
anoxic injuries and low blood glucose
ischemic/red neuron
- cell shrink
- eosinophilic as lose basophilic Nissl substance
- mitochondria condense
- nuclei become pyknotic (DNA condenss)
Astrocytes
- functions
- clear NT from cleft
- structural support for blood vessels in BBB
- maintain ionic equilbirum
role of astrocytes in brain injury
effective or not?
1) scar formation
astrocyte hyperplasia and hyperplasia helps close gaps after neuron debris removed
2) incr synth of GFAP, filament elongation to allows astrocyte to extend processes across lesion
3) creates thick network but NOT effective b/c can’t fill gap
oligodendroglia
- function
- regeneration?
myelin cells of CNS
nutrition role for deep cortex + basal ganglia
little regeneration in injury
multiple sclerosis mechanism
death of oligodendroglia
ependymal cells
- function?
- regenerative?
ciliated cells lining ventricles for CSF movement
inert / limited regeneration from damage
what happens if ependymal cells are injured?
seen in what diseases
then are permanently damaged
seen in hydrocephalus, bacterial ventriculitis, viral infection
microglia
function?
difference in structure btwn surveillance and activated state?
sentinel cells activated by neuron damage, replicate, phag debris
surveillance = long nuclei + short processes activated = large nuclei + cytoplasm grows into highly branched patterns
microglia are replenished by…
activated microgllia secrete what? function of secretion?
replenished by blood monocytes and transform into brain macrophage
secrete neuronal trophic factors
assist in recovery
also secrete neurotoxins and cytokins for inflamm/kill neurons
significance of RER aka Nissl substance
what happens when axon transected (axotomy)
Nissl = stacks of RER and reflect active protein synth
when axon transected, Nissl subtance disaggregates
basic components of neuronal cytoskleeton
crosslinked by?
made of longitudinally arranged neurofilaments (10 nm long) and neurotubules (20-26 nm long)
crosslinked and fastened by tau protein + microtubule assoc proteins
function of tau and MAPs?
anchor cytoskeleton to membrane + organelles
mechanism of alzheimer’s diz at cell level?
abnormal paired helical filaments of hyperphosphorylated tau in perikaryon
perikaryon = cell body distinct from nucleus and form forms neurofibrillary tangles
how are silver stains used in histology of CNS
appears what color
visualizing axons and dendrites
- silver deposits on cytoskeletal elements dense in neuron
appears black
most common silver stain
used to stain what?
Bielschowsky stain = shows normal axons and dendrites + neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer’s
Where is GFAP found?
What are Rosenthal fibers?
Glial fibrillary acidic protein
- makes up intermediate filaments of astrocytes
- component of Rosenthal fibers in diseases