Week 2 Flashcards
What are afferent neurones
Carry info from sensory receptors of the skin and other organs to CNS
What are efferent neurones
Carry motor info away from CNS to the muscles and glands of the body (PNS)
Where is the cell body located in Afferent neurones
Outside the spinal cord in the dorsal root ganglion
Cell body has a single axon that divides into 2 branches , one connected to sensory organ and another that carries sensory info to spinal cord via dorsal root
Where is the cell body located in efferent neurones
In the ventral horn of the spinal cord
Efferent axons leave spinal cord through the ventral root travel through spinal nerves and synapse with skeletal muscle cells found in neuromuscular junction
What is autonomic division
Regulates involuntary body responses
What is somatic division
Voluntary movement by skeletal muscles
What is the CNS
Brain and spinal cord
What is PNS
The nervous system outside the CNS
Connects sensory to CNS
Contains ganglia- collection of neuronal bodies found in the voluntary and autonomic branches of the peripheral nervous system
What are the three main types of neurones
Multipolar
Bipolar
Pseudo-unipolar
What are multipolar neurones
Motor/efferent
Single axon, many dendrites
What are bipolar neurones
Relay or special sense
One axon and one dendrite
What are pseudo-unipolar neurons
Sensory
Impulses don’t have to go through the cell body, one extension from its cell body
can go from dendrites to synapse
This neuron has an axon that’s split into two branches one to PNS and other to CNS
What are glial cells
Predominant cell type within the CNS
Responsible for creating optimum microenvironment for neuronal activity
Four main types:
Astrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal
Oligodendrocytes
What are astrocytes
Star shaped
Contribute to the blood-brain barrier
Most abundant cell type
Provide structural and metabolic support, provide nutrients to neurones such as cholesterol
Two types- fibrous (white matter), protoplasmic (grey matter)
What are microglia
Immune function- phagocytosis
Exist in 2 forms:
Resting (ramified)
Activated- phagocytic
Maintain brain homeostasis
Dysregulation can lead to neurological disease
Prevent pathogens entering CNS, clear dead neurones
What are ependymal cells
Simple ciliated epithelial cells lining the ventricles
Cerebrospinal fluid synthesis
Provides nutrients creates environment needed
Movement of cilia helps regulate CFS
What are oligodendrocytes
Only in CNS
Cells with few processes
Create myelin sheaths around neurones in the CNS
Provide metabolic support and electrical insulation
Have the ability to myelinate several neurons at a time
What are Schwann cells
Only in PNS
Myelinate one axon
Create myelin sheaths around neurones in PNS
Provide metabolic support and electrical insulation
What is myelination
Myelin is a lipid sheath 0.5-2.5 micrometers thick
Created by glial cells which surrounds axon of a neurone
Increases speed of conduction, provides protection and structural support
Saltatory conduction
Created by oligodendrocytes in CNS Schwann cells in PNS