Unit 2.1 - Function & Components of the Nervous System

Question 1

What is the function of the nervous system?

Answer 1

• receive info
• integrate info
• transduce info

Question 2

What is the Central Nervous System made up of?

Answer 2

• brain

- spinal cord

Question 3

What is the Peripheral Nervous System made up of?

Answer 3

sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) neurons

Question 4

What are the 2 basic kinds of cells found in the nervous system?

Answer 4

• neurons

- glial cells

Question 5

What is the function of the neuron?

Answer 5

to generate and transmit electrical impulses over long distances

Question 6

What are the 4 main parts of the neuron?

Answer 6

• soma (cell body)
• dendrites
• axon
• axon terminal

Question 7

Clusters of cell bodies in the CNS is knows as ____ while clusters of cell bodies in the PNS is known as ____

Answer 7

CNS: nuclei
PNS: ganglia

Question 8

TRUE OR FALSE:

Dendrites transfer electrical signals away from the soma and axons transfer electrical signals toward the soma

Answer 8

FALSE:

Dendrites = TOWARDS soma

Axon = AWAY FROM soma

Question 9

What are bundles of axons in the CNS and PNS called?

Answer 9

CNS = tracts

PNS = nerves

Question 10

Classify neurons by structure:

Answer 10

Pseudounipolar
- somatic sensory neurons (afferent)

Bipolar
- smell/vision sensory neurons

Anaxonic
- no apparent axon

Multipolar - CNS

• highly branched, lots of dendrites
• lack long extensions

Multipolar - Efferent

• 5 to 7 dendrites
• single long axon

Question 11

In which neuron does the axon fuse to the dendrites during development?

Answer 11

pseudounipolar

Question 12

Which neurons make up 96% of all neurons? Where are they located?

Answer 12

Interneurons, located inside the CNS

Question 13

Where are the cells bodies of the efferent motor neurons located?

Answer 13

Within the CNS, cytoplasmic extensions transmit info to effectors

Question 14

How do glial cells contribute to the function of the neurons?

Answer 14

• aid in nerve impulse conduction

- maintain microenvironment around the neurons

Question 15

Name the different PNS glial cells and their functions:

Answer 15

schwann cells
- forms myelin on part of the axon, secrete neurotrophic factors

satellite cells

• non myelinating schwann cells
• support cell bodies

Question 16

TRUE OR FALSE:

Gap junctions are found between layers of the myelin sheath

Answer 16

TRUE

Question 17

What is the function of myelin sheath?

Answer 17

• acts as an electrical insulator

- allows for fast electrical transmission

Question 18

What are the different types of CNS glial cells?

Answer 18

• oligodendrocytes
• microglia
• ependymal cells
• astrocytes

Question 19

What is the function of oligodendrocytes?

Answer 19

wrap around axons and form myelin sheaths

- CNS version of schwann cells

Question 20

This CNS glial cell is part of the blood brain barrier:

Answer 20

astrocytes

Question 21

What is the function of astrocytes?

Answer 21

• transfer nutrients

- helps maintain homeostasis in extracellular fluid around neurons microenvironment

Question 22

These CNS glial cells are immune cells that remove damaged cells and foreign invaders

Answer 22

microglia

Question 23

These cells produce the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and create selectively permeable barriers between compartments

Answer 23

Ependymal cells