Neuroglia of the CNS

Question 1

What is another name for Glial cells?

Answer 1

Neuroglia

Question 2

What are the 4 types of neuroglia of the CNS?

Answer 2

Ependymal cells, Microglia, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

Question 3

Describe Ependymal cells

Answer 3

Ependymal cells form a simple ependyma. They assist in producing, monitoring and circulating CSF.

Question 4

Describe the function and what the ependyma is?

Answer 4

The ependyma lines a fluid-filled passageway within the spinal cord and brain. The passageway narrows the in the spinal cord and its called the central canal. In the brain, it is called ventricles.

Question 5

What is CSF? and what does it do?

Answer 5

CSF is the cerebrospinal fluid. It fills the internal spaces and also surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

Question 6

Describe microglia

Answer 6

They remove cellular debris, wastes and pathogens by phagocytosis

Question 7

Describe Astrocytes and what they do.

Answer 7

Astrocytes maintain the blood-brain barrier that isolates the CNS from the chemicals and hormones circulating in the blood. They also provide structural support within nervous tissue; regulate ion, nutrient, and dissolved gas concentrations in the interstitial fluid surrounding the neurons; absorb and recycle neurotransmitters that are not broken down or reabsorbed; form scar tissue after CNS injury

Question 8

Describe oligodendrocytes

Answer 8

Provide a structural framework within the CNS by stabilizing the positions of the axons. They also produce myelin.

Question 9

What is myelin and what does it do?

Answer 9

Myelin is a membranous wrapping around axons that increases the transmission speed of nerve impulses

Question 10

What happens when myelinating an axon?

Answer 10

When myelinating an axon, the tip of ogliodendrocyt process expands to form a wide pad that gets wound around the axon, forming concentric layers of the plasma membrane. This is then called a myelin sheath.