Nerve Cell Structure and Function Flashcards
What are the techniques for viewing nervous tissue?
Techniques include stains and imaging techniques.
What does Nissl stain?
cell bodies.
What does Golgi stain?
the entire neuron.
What does myelin stain?
In myelin stains, white matter appears intensely black, and gray matter appears light gray or white.
What does PET stand for and what does it measure?
PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography and measures metabolic activity in the brain.
What does MRI stand for?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and provides detailed images of brain structure.
What does fMRI measure?
fMRI (functional MRI) measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.
What are the two Nerve cells?
Glial and Neurons
*There are aprox 10x more glial than neuron
What are the primary signaling cells of the nervous system?
Neurons are the primary signaling cells of the nervous system.
What is the structure of a neuron?
Neurons have a cell body, dendrites, axon, collaterals, and terminal bouton.
What is the function of dendrites?
Dendrites receive incoming signals.
What is the role of the terminal bouton?
transmits the signal across the synapse.
What role does dendritic spine formation play?
Dendritic spine formation and stability may have a role in learning and memory.
What conditions are associated with alterations in dendritic spine numbers and structure?
Alterations have been found in Alzheimer’s, intellectual disability, and other conditions.
What is Kinesin?
Kinesin is a motor protein involved in anterograde axonal transport (from cell body to terminal bouton).
What is Dynein?
Dynein is a motor protein involved in retrograde axonal transport (from terminal bouton to cell body).
How are neurons categorized structurally?
Neurons may be categorized as pseudounipolar (1), bipolar, multipolar, or anaxonic (small unmyelinated projections)
What are the types of glial cells in the CNS?
Types include astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells, and microglia.
What are the functions of glial cells?
Glial cells guide neuron migration, form the blood-brain barrier, and nourish nerve cells.
What do astrocytes do?
Astrocytes provide structural support, regulate the extracellular environment, and contribute to the blood-brain barrier.
What do oligodendrocytes do?
Oligodendrocytes form the myelin sheath around axons in the CNS.
What do ependymal cells do?
Ependymal cells line ventricles and the central canal of the spinal cord and help circulate CSF.
What do microglia do?
Microglia are phagocytic immune cells.
What are Schwann cells?
myelinating glial cells in the PNS.
