Module 3+4: nervous system Flashcards
nervous system
coordinates voluntary and involuntary actions transmits signals to and from different parts of its body
afferent
carry information towards CNS
efferent
carry information away from CNS
central nervous system (CNS)
Brain
spinal cord
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
nerve tissue outside the CNS: cranial nerves and branches, spinal nerves and branches, ganglia, plexuses and sensory receptors
cells of the nervous system: neurons
the basic signalling units of the nervous system
cells of the nervous system: gila
support cells
neurons carry ______ ______
electrical signals
parts of a neuron
-a cell body (soma), considered the control centre, with processes that extend outward; dendrites and axons
-shape number and length of axons and dendrites vary from neuron to neuron
-dendrites receive incoming signals fro neighbouring cells
-axons carry outgoing signals from neighbouring cells
-presynaptic terminals contain transmitting elements
neurons
Afferent: sensory
-carry information about temperature, pressure, light and other stimuli to the CNS
-specialized receptor converts stimulus to electrical energy
Pseudounipolar
neurons that have a single process called the axon. during development, the dendrite fused with the axon
Neurons
Interneurons
-complex branching neurons that facilitate communication between neurons
bipolar
neurons that have two relatively equal fibres extending off the central cell body
Neurons
Efferent: motor and autonomic
-motor: controls skeletal muscles
-autonomic: influences many internal organs
-sympathetic and parasympathetic
-usually have axon terminal or varicosities
anaxonic
Anaxonic CNS interneurons have no apparent axon
nerves
bundle of peripheral neurons
-efferent (motor)
-afferent (sensory)
-mixed
multipolar
multipolar CNS interneurons are highly branched but lack long extensions
axonal transport
the axon is specialized to convey chemical and electrical signals that require a variety of different types of proteins
-the axon contains many types of fibres and filaments but lacks ribosomes and ER necessary for protein production, therefor proteins must be produced in the cell body na transported down the axon
fast axonal transport
-membrane bound proteins and organelles (vesicles or mitochondria)
-anterograde: cell body to axon terminal, up to 400 mm/day
-retrograde: axon terminal to cell body 200mm/day
slow axonal transport
-cytoplasmic proteins (enzymes) and cytoskeleton proteins
-anterograde, up to 8mm/day some evidence for retro
-not well characterized, may be slower due to frequent periods of pausing of movements
kinesins
anterograde transport
dyneins
retrograde transport
kinesins and dyneins: motor proteins
fast axonal transport
ATP hydrolysis drives movement of proteins to “walk” along filaments
synapses
majority are chemical synapses
-space contains extracellular matrix (proteins and carbohydrates) that hold the pre and post synaptic cells in close proximity
how do billions of neurons in the brain find correct targets during development?
-depends on chemical signals
-axons of embryonic nerve cells contain growth cones that sense and move towards particular chemical signals
-growth cones depends on growth factors, molecules in the extracellular mantric and membrane proteins
-once reaching target cell a synapse forms
synapses must then be maintained through repeated use “use it or lose it”
gila support for neurons
initially believed to outnumber neurons by 10-50 too 1 more recently 1-4 to 1
fro years thought to be simply for physical support
now known to communicate with neurons and provide important biochemical support