Neuron Basics

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Neuron Basics Cells of Neural Tissue Neurons: basic unit of the nervous system, these cells communicate with one another and with other cells Neuroglia: regulate the environment of neurons, provide supporting framework, act as phagocytes Structure of a Neuron Motor neuron Neuron from spinal cord Components of Neuron to Know Dendrites: receive incoming signals Axon: carries outgoing signals Synaptic terminal: where axon communicates with dendrites of another cell Mitochondrion: supply ATP Nucleus: houses DNA and nucleolus Nucleolus: makes ribosomes Nissl bodies: clusters of rough ER and free ribosomes - makes gray matter gray Components of Neuron to Know, continued Axon hillock: region of neuron where an action potential may arise due -to presence of specific chemicals, -mechanical pressure, -changes in temperature, or -shifts in extracellular ion concentrations Components of Neuron to Know, continued Collaterals: branches of axon Synapse: site where one neuron communicates with another neuron Schwann cells: glial cells in the PNS that myelinate the axons of neurons Node of Ranvier: part of the neuron that is NOT myelinated, in between the Schwann cells along the axon Cell Body Functional Classification of Neurons Sensory neurons: 10 million in afferent division of PNS Two kinds of receptors: Somatic sensory receptors External Proprioreceptors Visceral receptors (internal receptors) Functional Classification of Neurons, continued Motor neurons: 500,000 of efferent division of PNS carry instructions from CNS to other tissues Effectors: peripheral targets, two kinds: Somatic motor neurons: innervate skeletal muscles Visceral motor neurons of autonomic division (sympathetic and parasympathetic): cardiac, smooth muscle, glands, adipose tissue Functional Classification of Neurons, continued Interneurons (association neurons): 20 billion! -Located entirely within the brain and spinal cord -Connect other neurons -Distribute sensory information -Coordinate motor activity -Play a role in all higher functions: memory, planning, learning Structural Classification of Neurons Multipolar neuron: two or more dendrites and a single axon, most common in CNS Unipolar neuron: the dendrites and axon are continuous and the cell body is off to one side, mostly comprise sensory portion of PNS Bipolar neurons: one dendrite and one axon, with cell body in between, rare but occur in special sense organs and act as relays for sight, smell, hearing Neuroglia Glia means “glue” Found in both PNS and CNS, but great variety in CNS Four types of neuroglia in CNS: 1. Astrocytes 2. Oligodendrocytes 3. Microglia 4. Ependymal Astrocytes -Largest and most numerous -Secrete chemicals to maintain blood-brain barrier -Create structural framework for CNS neurons Repair damaged neural tissue Oligodendrocytes -Have fewer processes than astrocytes -Wrap around axons of neurons to form myelin sheaths -Each cell myelinates short segments of several axons Internodes: areas covered in myelin Microglial cells: microglia -Smallest and rarest of neuroglia -Phagocytic cells derived from white blood cells that migrated into CNS as it formed -Engulf cellular waste and pathogens Ependymal cells -Line central canal of spinal cord -Line ventricles of the brain (chambers filled with cerebrospinal fluid) -Ependyma: the lining of epithelial cells they form -Ependyma produces CSF in some regions Some ependyma have cilia to help circulate CSF Two Types of Neuroglial Cells in PNS 1. Satellite cells:surround and support cell bodies in PNS, much as astrocytes do in CNS 2. Schwann cells: cover every axon outside the CNS Neurilemma: outside of the Schwann cell on a neuron of the PNS *One Schwann cell can only myelinate the axon of a single neuron Be able to recognize each of the different kinds of cells based upon their structures and functions. Structures of Neuroglial Cells.
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  • Neurons and Glia
    CHAPTER TWO Neurons and Glia INTRODUCTION THE NEURON DOCTRINE The Golgi Stain Cajal’s Contribution BOX 2.1 OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Advances in Microscopy THE PROTOTYPICAL NEURON The Soma The Nucleus Neuronal Genes, Genetic Variation, and Genetic Engineering BOX 2.2 BRAIN FOOD: Expressing One’s Mind in the Post-Genomic Era BOX 2.3 PATH OF DISCOVERY: Gene Targeting in Mice, by Mario Capecchi Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum and the Golgi Apparatus The Mitochondrion The Neuronal Membrane The Cytoskeleton Microtubules BOX 2.4 OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Neuronal Cytoskeleton Microfilaments Neurofilaments The Axon The Axon Terminal The Synapse Axoplasmic Transport BOX 2.5 OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Hitching a Ride with Retrograde Transport Dendrites BOX 2.6 OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Intellectual Disability and Dendritic Spines CLASSIFYING NEURONS Classification Based on Neuronal Structure Number of Neurites Dendrites Connections Axon Length Classification Based on Gene Expression BOX 2.7 BRAIN FOOD: Understanding Neuronal Structure and Function with Incredible Cre GLIA Astrocytes Myelinating Glia Other Non-Neuronal Cells CONCLUDING REMARKS 23 © Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. NOT FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION. 24 PART ONE FOUNDATIONS INTRODUCTION All tissues and organs in the body consist of cells. The specialized func- tions of cells and how they interact determine the functions of organs. The brain is an organ—to be sure, the most sophisticated and complex organ that nature has devised. But the basic strategy for unraveling its functions is no different from that used to investigate the pancreas or the lung. We must begin by learning how brain cells work individually and then see how they are assembled to work together.
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  • Nervous System Overview
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  • Cells of the Nervous System: the “Typical” Neuron Multipolar Neuron
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  • NERVOUS SYSTEM : LEC / 8 Physiology of Nerves and Muscles the Nervous System Is One of the Most Complicated System of the Body in Both Structure and Function
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  • The Unipolar Neuron
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  • Normal Cells of the Cns
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  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
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  • Multilineage Differentiation Potential of CNS Cell Progenitors in a Recent
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  • Nerve Cell Impulses
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  • The Nervous System 1) Integration of Body Processes 2) Control of Voluntary Effectors (Skeletal Muscles), and Mediation of Voluntary Reflexes
    1 © Jim Swan These slides are from class presentations, reformatted for static viewing. The content contained in these pages is also in the Class Notes pages in a narrative format. Best screen resolution for viewing is 1024 x 768. To change resolution click on start, then control panel, then display, then settings. If you are viewing this in Adobe Reader version 7 and are connected to the internet you will also be able to access the “enriched” links to notes and comments, as well as web pages including animations and videos. You will also be able to make your own notes and comments on the pages. Download the free reader from [Adobe.com] 1 Functions of the Nervous System 1) Integration of body processes 2) Control of voluntary effectors (skeletal muscles), and mediation of voluntary reflexes. 3) Control of involuntary effectors ( smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glands) and mediation of autonomic reflexes (heart rate, blood pressure, glandular secretion, etc.) 4) Response to stimuli 5) Responsible for conscious thought and perception, emotions, personality, the mind. 2 These functions relate to control of the skeletal muscles discussed in Unit 2 as well as future discussion of reflexes, the brain, and the autonomic nervous system. 2 Structural Divisions of the Nervous System Central Nervous System (CNS) Brain Spinal Cord Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) nerves, ganglia, receptors 3 The central nervous system develops from the neural tube, while the peripheral nervous system develops from the neural crest cells. 3 Functional Divisions of the Nervous System 1) The Voluntary Nervous System - (a.k.a. somatic division) willful control of effectors (skeletal muscles), and conscious perception.
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  • Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory
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  • The Nervous System
    THE NERVOUS SYSTEM The nervous system primarily consists neurons and neuroglia. The functional unit of the nervous system are the neurons. A neuron can be defined as a nerve cell. The unique structure of neurons makes them specialized for receiving and transmitting electrical impulses throughout the body. The neuron acts like a miniature self-contained information processor. It receives inputs, processes information, and generates outputs. Neuron as the functional unit of nervous system was demonstrated by R.Y. Cajal while the nerve cell or the neuron was first described by Camillo Golgi in 1873. 3.1Structure of neuron The membrane, which surrounds the nerve cell, is made up of a double layer of lipid and contains protein molecules that play many important roles in transporting and blocking substances from coming in and out of the cell. A neuron has three main functional parts: the structure most associated with receiving signal is the dendrite, the body or soma , which accumulates signals coming from the input (dendrites) and which produces at the axonal hillock a series of bursts (impulses) when the accumulated signal reaches a critical threshold. These impulses are propagated to other neurons through an output called axon. The structure of neuron is described below: a) Neurocyton The cell body (soma or neurocyton or perikaryon) contains a granular cytoplasm due to the presence of basophilic granules called Nissl’s bodies. Nucleus is single and centrally located. Other cell organelles present are mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum , neurofibrillae and centrioles. The Nissl’s granules which are sometimes referred to as chromatophilic substances are composed of ribonucleoproteins are produced in the nucleus and play important role in.
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