Lab 6: Nervous System

Question 1

Name & Characteristics

Answer 1

Spinal Cord

1. Shows the white and gray matter
2. Motor neuron cell bodies are visible in the ventral horns of the gray matter as large dark specks

Question 2

Name & Function

Answer 2

Spinal Cord

1. Conducts sensory information from the peripheral nervous system (both somatic and autonomic) to the brain
2. Conducts motor information from the brain to our various effectors

Question 3

Name & Location

Answer 3

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is contained within the spine, extending from the base of the skull to the second lumbar vertebra at the base of the spine

Question 4

Name & Characteristics

Answer 4

Neuron Cell Body

1. The large euchromatic nucleus has a very prominent central nucleolus
2. The beginnings of three dendrites and the one axon can be seen emanating from this cell body

Question 5

Name & Function

Answer 5

Neuron Cell Body

1. Electrically excitable cell that processes and transmits information by electrical and chemical signaling
2. Chemical signaling occurs via synapses, specialized connections with other cells
3. Neurons connect to each other to form networks

Question 6

Name & Location

Answer 6

Neuron Cell Body

Human nervous system

Question 7

Name & Characteristics

Answer 7

Dorsal Root Ganglion

1. Neuronal cell bodies are located in the more darkly stained regions, with their axons projecting out into the lighter areas of the tissue
2. These axons are myelinated and Nodes of Ranvier can be seen

Question 8

Name & Function

Answer 8

Dorsal Root Ganglion

1. It’s a nerve ending that send processes out to the periphery
2. Is a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of neurons in afferent spinal nerves

Question 9

Name & Location

Answer 9

Dorsal Root Ganglion

The dorsal root ganglia lie along the vertebral column by the spine

Question 10

Name & Characteristics

Answer 10

Peripheral Nerve

1. The perineurium is nicely stained
2. The cross-sectional apearance of myelinated axons is obvious
3. The perineurium surrounds the nerve bundle, but does not penetrate it. This is a key criterion for distinguishing peripheral nerve bundles from smooth muscle bundles

Question 11

Name & Function

Answer 11

Peripheral Nerve

1. The primary function of a peripheral nerve is to transmit signals from the spinal cord to the rest of the body
2. Or to transmit sensory information from the rest of the body to the spinal cord

For example, to flex a muscle, the brain sends a signal to the spinal cord that is received by a motor neuron in the spinal cord

Question 12

Name & Location

Answer 12

Peripheral Nerve

Human nervous system

Question 13

Name & Characteristics

Answer 13

Cerebellum

The gray matter is located outside (the cerebellum), with the white matter lying in the middle of many infoldings

Question 14

Name & Function

Answer 14

Cerebellum

1. Region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control
2. It contributes to coordination, precision, muscle tone, balance, and equilibrium

Question 15

Name & Location

Answer 15

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is located just above the brainstem, beneath occipital lobes at the base of the skull