Unit 4 Lecture Flashcards
How is the nervous system organized? What are the CNS and PNS and how do they work together?
CNS - Brain and spinal cord
PNS - cranial and spinal nerves, sensory receptors
Sensory division sends afferent input into CNS
- CNS analyzes, stores info
CNS sends efferent signal to neurons
What are the two cells that comprise nervous tissue?
Neurons - highly specialized, able to sense, think, remember, ctrl muscle activity and glandular secretions
- unable to undergo mitotic divisions
- electrical excitability
Neuroglia - support, nourish, protect neurons and maintain interstitial fluid
- smaller, but outnumber neurons
- ability to divide
Which division of the peripheral nervous system only innervates the GI tract’s wall?
Enteric nervous system
What are the parts of the neuron?
- Cell body (perikaryon/soma): contains nucleus and cytoplasm
- Dendrites - detect sensations
- Axon - where AP propagates down
What are Nissl bodies?
cluster of rough ER, contain ribosomes and are the site of protein synthesis in neurons
proteins are used for:
- replacement of cellular components
- material for growth of neurons
- regenerate damaged axons in the PNS only
What is lipofuscin?
orange/brown pigment that is found in the cytoplasm of aging neurons
- product of neuronal lysosome that accumulates as the neuron ages
- does not seem to harm neuron
What is a nerve fiber? What are their functions?
general term for any neuronal process that emerges from the soma
- dendrites (multiple): receives input
- single axon: propagates nerve impulses toward another neuron, muscle fiber or gland cell
What does an axon contain? What does it not contain that other neuronal structures do?
contains: mitochondria, microtubules, neurofibrils, axoplasm (cytoplasm), and axolema (plasma membrane)
does not have rough ER - no protein synthesis
What are axon collaterals and axon terminals?
axon collaterals - side branches of an axon, typically at a right angle
axon terminal - many fine processes at the end of an axon and its collaterals
Compare and contrast slow and fast axonal transport
slow - conveys axoplasm in one direction only: from soma to axon terminals
fast - moves materials in both directions: to and from the soma
- anterograde - organelles and synaptic vesicles move from soma to axon terminals
- retrograde - moves membrane vesicles from the axon terminals to cell body to be degraded or recycled
Describe a multipolar neuron. How is this type classified? Where are they found?
Structural classification - depends on number of processes extending from soma
has many dendrites and an axon coming off of cell body
motor neurons are ONLY multipolar
found in the brain and spinal cord
Describe a bipolar neuron. What kind of classification is this? Where are they found?
structural classification - based on number of processes coming off of cell body
one main dendrite and one axon
found in the 3 special senses - retina (vision), inner ear (hearing, olfactory (smell)
Describe unipolar neurons. What type of classification is this? Were are they found?
structural classification - based on how many processes come out of cell body
AKA pseudounipolar - begin in embryo as bipolar
dendrites function as sensory neurons for touch, pressure, pain and thermal stimuli
cell bodies located in the GANGLIA OF SPINAL AND CRANIAL NERVES
What are the other cells that are classified structurally?
Purkinje cells - cerebellum
pyramidal cells - cerebral cortex of the brain which have pyramid shaped soma
What are afferent neurons? What kind of classification is this? What is their typical structural classification?
functionally - direction in which the AP is conveyed in respect to CNS
once stimulus activates receptor, sends AP into the CNS through the cranial or spinal nerves
most sensory neurons are unipolar in structure
What are efferent neurons? What type of classification is this? What is their typical structural classification?
functional classification -
direction in which AP is conducted in relation to CNS
conveys APs away from the CNS to effectors - muscles or glands - in the PNS through cranial or spinal nerves
efferent neurons are multipolar in structure
What are interneurons What type of classification is this? What is their typical structural classification?
functional classification - direction in which AP is conveyed in respect to the CNS
process incoming sensory info from sensory neurons, and elicit a motor response by activating appropriate motor neurons
- mainly located within CNS between motor and sensory neurons
most interneurons are multipolar in structure
Describe neuroglia
make up about half the volume in the CNS
- smaller than neurons but more numerous
- in cases of injury or disease, neuroglia multiply to fill in the spaces formerly occupied by neurons
do not generate APs
What are astrocytes? Describe their structure. What are the two types?
glia found in CNS
- star shaped with many processes
- largest and most numerous
protoplasmic - short, branches processes found in gray matter
fibrous - long, unbranched processes found in white matter
What structures do astrocytes make contact with? What are their functions?
contact with: blood capillaries, neurons, pia matter
f(x)’s:
- support neurons - contains microfilaments for strength
- create the BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER - prohibits entrance of most substances btw blood and interstitial fluid
- in embryo, regulates growth, migration and interconnection among neurons
- helps maintain chemical environment required for AP
- may play role in learning in memory
What are oligodendrocytes? What system are they found in?
glia in CNS - smaller and fewer processes than astrocytes
responsible for FORMING AND CONTAINING MYELIN SHEATH AROUND CNS AXONS
- can myelinate multiple axons
- contains less Nodes of Ranvier than myelinated PNS neurons
What is the myelin sheath? What cells produce them?
multilayered lipid and protein covering around some axons
- insulates and increases the speed of APs
- protects axon
Nodes of Ranvier: areas on myelinated axon that do not contain myelin
CNS - oligodendrocytes
PNS - Schwann cells
Multiple sclerosis attacks myelin sheath
What are microglia and what system are they part of?
glia in the CNS
small cells with slender processes with spine like projections
function as phagocytes - eat debris, foreign particles, invaders, damaged nervous tissue
What are ependymal cells and where are they located?
glial cells in CNS
- cuboidal/columnar cells arranged in single layer, contain microvilli and cilia
lines the ventricles of the brain and central canal of spinal cord to produce/move CSF
also forms the BLOOD-CSF barrier - does not allow most chemicals into CSF