Nervous Tissue Flashcards
What is the function of nervous tissues?
Provide rapid and precise communication between different parts of the body via action of neutrons. (Electrical impulses)
What 4 things does the nervous system include?
Brain
Spinal chord
Receptors of complex sensory organs
Nerves that link it with all other organs and tissues in the body
What makes up the CNS?
Brain
Spinal chord
What makes up the peripheral nervous system?
All nervous tissue outside the CNS
What are the 2 functional divisions of the peripheral nervous system?
Describe them.
Somatic = regulates voluntary control over skeletal muscle
Autonomic = heartbeat, breathing (subconscious)
Name and describe the 2 autonomic nervous systems.
Parasympathetic = regulates less urgent processes eg. digestion, waste disposal (referred to as rest and digest)
Sympathetic = branch that responds when body needs sudden or immediate action (regulates fight or slight response)
Describe similarity and difference between parasympathetic and sympathetic?
Both can regulate smooth muscle and cardiac muscle contraction
Parasympathetic- regulates basal rate of all these processes so it keeps things ticking
Sympathetic - increases rate of function in times of need
Name the 2 main cell groups in the nervous system?
Neutons and Glial cells
Describe neurones in the NS.
- nerve cells
- main functional units of nervous system
- send signals and communicate with organs and tissues
- use electrical impulses
Describe the function of glial cells (neuroglia) in the NS.
- support cells
- protect and provide nutrients
- provide immune functions and protection
Name 4 structures a neuron contains?
Dendrites
Large cell body
Single axon
Terminal boutons
Describe a functional property all neurons have?
EXCITABILITY
- small difference in charge inside and outside cel
- enables generation in action potential
- briefly reversed before returning to baseline
- brief change in electrical potential of cell (action potential)
Why do neutrons have a high metabolic rate?
Generation and propagation of action potentials so these electrical impulses place a significant energy demand on neurons.
Describe the structure of dendrites.
Highly branched processes extending from the cell body
They form synapse with adjacent neurones.
Describe how dendrites communicate with terminal boutons from a different axon?
Axon branches into terminal boutons which forms synapses with dendrites from another neuron in the pathway
How do neurons respond to external stimuli?
They respond to external stimuli from another neuron and convey info to the cell body.
It interpretates it and decides weather to initiate action potential.
What are neurons specialised for?
Intercellular communication
Describe the cell body of a neuron?
large nucleus
prominent nucleolus
Contains nissil bodies
Has numerous mitochondria
Larger than surrounding neuroglia
What does the nucleolus do in the nucleus (cell body) of a neuron?
Active and ongoing synthesis of ribosomes
This reflects the high metabolic demand of neutrons
What reflects the high metabolic demands of neurons?
High concentration of cellular organelles
Prominent nucleolus
What are nissil bodies and what do they do in the cell body of a neuron?
Clusters of RER
Free ribosomes surround
They give neurons a granular appearance
Why does the cell body of a neuron stain darker than the surrounding cells?
Nissil bodies and density of other cell bodies eg mitochondria