The Neuron Flashcards
Nervous system
system of neurons
Two components of the nervous system and what they contain
Central Nervous System
- brain
- spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous system
-Nerves & Nerve Cells outside the brain and spinal cord.
What is so special about neurons
they have an excitable membrane, and they could signal over long distances.
What are the tree parts of the neuron
the dendrites, the cell body (soma), axon
What characteristics do vertebrates have?
brain, and segmented spinal cord.
What are the two major cell types found in the central nervous system and what do they do?
- neurons–>transmit information
- Glial cells (*astrocytes
- oligodendrocytes)–> support neurons, modulate neuronal activity, development, clean up.
What is the difference between Gray matter and white matter?
Gray Matter consists primarily of neuronal cell bodies (soma).
White matter consists of myelinated axons, whitish in color due to their high lipid fat content.
where is Gray vs White Matter found?
In the brain (cerebrum and cerebellum) white matter is predominately found in deeper areas–with gray matter coating the white matter.
In the spinal cord, things are largely reversed and the white matter is distributed around the central gray matter.`
Neurobiology
the study of how the cells of the brain and nervous system control behavior
Santiago Ramon y Cajal
- known as “the father of neuroscience” (the original brain mapper)
- wanted to be an artist, but parents forced him to go to medical school
- Really got into drawing different neuron types,(particularly the cerebellar perkinje fibers) and DESCRIBED INFORMATION FLOW through neurons.
Scientists wanted to see detailed morphology of neurons and to be able to label them. But they were transparent and hard to see. Cajal labeled the neurons using the Golgi technique
The “Golgi Technique”
Cajal used the Golgi technique to label cells. This technique was developed my Camilo Golgi who was his rival, but they still shared the Nobel Prize in 1906.
Because of Cajal, we now can identify structures of neurons and their functions. His drawings are still used in textbooks today.
Who shared the Nobel prize in 1906?
Ramon y Cajal & Camilo Golgi.
What kind of neurons did Ramon Y Cajal identify?
local interneurons vs projection neurons, excitatory vs inhibitory neurons.
what is an interneuron?
Interneurons are the central nodes of neural circuits, enabling communication between sensory or motor neurons and the central nervous system (CNS). They play vital roles in reflexes, neuronal oscillations, and neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain.
What is a projection neuron?
Broadly defined, projection neurons are neurons whose axons extend from the neuronal cell body within the central nervous system (CNS) to one or more distant regions of the CNS.
