Neurones Flashcards
What are the roles of neurones?
Receive sensory input, and send motor commands
What is the role of oligodendrocytes?
Make myeline
What is the role of myeline?
Speeds up conduction of electricity along the brain
What do oligodendrocytes look like?
Eggs, white border of cytoplasm and a blue nucleus
What do oligodendrocytes give myeline to?
Axons
What is the active process of oligodendrocytes?
Send out ‘little fingers’ to find an axon, gives the axon a myeline coating (ages around 20)
What is the role of astrocytes?
Provide neurones with metabolic support
How do astrocytes support neurones?
Eat debris and maintain fluid balance, prevents the neurone swelling/shrinking
What do astrocytes look like?
Stars
What do astrocytes provide neurones with
Glutamate and lactate and helps to form the blood brain barrier
What is the active process of astrocytes?
Enwrap the capillary and send chemical messages to vascular cells to tell them they’re a brain capillary
What is the role of microglial cells?
Part of the immune system, attack invaders, ‘mop up’ damage, and patrol the brain for injury
If microglial cells find injury in the brain, what happens?
They signal for others to come to the area, and become an activated phenotype (going out to eat things)
When activated, microglial cells become positive for what protein?
CD68, so they can eat and digest foreign bodies
What is the role of vascular cells?
Provide the brain with oxygen and glucose
