Chapter 10: Functional Organization of Nervous Tissue

Functions of the Nervous System 1. Sensory input sensory receptors monitor numerous external and internal stimuli 2. Integration 3. Control of muscles and glands 4. Homeostasis ability of the nervous system to detect, interpret and respond to changes in internal and external conditions 5. Mental activity Parts of the Nervous System Central Nervous System brain (w/in skull) and spinal cord (w/in vertebral canal) Peripheral Nervous System external to CNS; consists of sensory receptors and nerves Sensory receptors endings of nerve cells or separate, specialized cells that detect temperature, pain, touch, pressure, light, sound, odors, and other stimuli; located in the skin, muscles, joints, internal organs, and specialized sensory organs (eyes and ears) Nerve bundle of axons and their sheaths Cranial nerves 12 pairs; from brain Spinal nerves 31 pairs; from spinal cord Action potentials electric signals transmitted by nerves PNS is divided into two divisions: Sensory or Afferent Division transmits action potentials to the CNS from sensory receptors Motor or Efferent Division transmits action potentials from the CNS to effector organs (muscles and glands) Somatic motor nervous system transmits action potentials from the CNS to skeletal muscles Autonomic motor nervous system transmits action potentials from the CNS to cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glands o Sympathetic division most active during physical activity

Parasympathetic division regulates resting or vegetative functions o Enteric nervous system located in the digestive tract and can control the digestive tract independently of the CNS Cells of the Nervous System Neurons or nerve cells, receive stimuli and transmit action potentials to other neurons or to effector organs Cell body Two types of processes: dendrites and axons o Structure of Neurons Soma neuron cell body single relatively large and centrally located nucleus with a prominent nucleolus Nissl substance located in cell body and dendrites but not in axons; aggregates of rough ER and free ribosomes; primary site of protein synthesis in neurons Axon long cell process extending from the neuron cell body; called nerve fibers because of their shape; output part of the neuron Trigger zone part of neuron where axon originates; where nerve cells generate action potentials Synapse junction between a nerve cell and another cell Presynaptic terminal ending of an axon in the synapse; has numerous vesicles containing, neurotransmitters - chemicals that cross the synapse to stimulate or inhibit the postsynaptic cell Dendrites short, often highly branched cytoplasmic extensions that are tapered from their bases at the neuron cell body to their tips; dendritic spines small extensions, axons of other neurons form synapses with the dendrites; input part of neuron Types of Neurons Sensory or afferent neurons conduct action potentials toward the CNS Motor or efferent neurons conduct action potentials away from the CNS toward muscles and glands

Interneurons or association neurons conduct action potentials from one neuron to another within the CNS 3 Major categories of neurons: Multipolar neurons many dendrites, single axon; neurons w/in CNS Bipolar neurons two processes: one dendrite and one axon; located in some sensory organs Unipolar neurons single processes; 2 branches one extends to CNS and the other extends to periphery and has dendritelike sensory receptors, function as single axon; most sensory neurons Glial Cells of the CNS Glial cells neuroglia, nonneural cells; account for over half of the brains weight; major supporting cells in the CNS; participate in the formation of permeability barrier between the blood and neurons, phagocytize foreign substances, produce cerebrospinal fluid, and form myelin sheaths atound axons 4 types of CNS Glial Cells Astrocytes glial cells that are star-shaped because of cytoplasmic processes that extend from the cell body; major supporting cells in the CNS; regulates extracellular composition of brain fluid Endothelial cells forms blood-brain barrier determines what substances can pass from the blood into the nervous tissue of the brain and spinal cord; protects neurons from toxic substances in the blood, allows the exchange of nutrients and waste products between neurons and the blood, and prevents fluctuations in the composition of the blood from affecting the functions of the brain Reactive astrocytosis astrocytes participate in walling of the injury site and limiting the spread of inflammation to the surrounding healthy tissue Ependymal Cells line the ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord; with blood vessels form choroid plexuses located within certain regions of the ventricles, secrete cerebrospinal fluid that circulates through the ventricles of the brain; free surface has patches of cilia that help move cerebrospinal fluid through cavities of the brain

Microglia glial cells in the CNS that become mobile and phagocytic in response to inflammation; phagocytize necrotic tissue, microorganisms and other foreign substances that invade CNS; migrate to areas damaged by infection, trauma, or stroke Oligodendrocytes have cytoplasmic extensions that can surround axons; myelin sheaths cytoplasmic extensions wrap many times around the axons, form around portions of several axons Glial Cells of the PNS Schwann cells - neurolemmocytes, glial cells in the PNS that wrap around axons; forms myelin sheath around a portion of only one axon Satellite Cells surround neuron cell bodies in sensory ganglia; provide support and nutrition to the cell bodies, and they protect neurons from heavy metal poisons by absorbing them and reducing their access to the neuron cell bodies Myelinated and Unmyelinated Axons Myelin protects and electrically insulates axons from one another Action potentials travel along myelinated axons more rapidly than along unmyelinated axons Myelinated axons plasma membrane of Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes repeatedly wraps around a segment of an axon to form the myelin sheath Node of ranvier 2-3 micrometer bare area in every 0.3-1.5 Unmyelinated axons rest in invaginations of the oligodendrocytes; cells plasma membrane surrounds each axon but does not wrap around it many times Organization of Nervous Tissue White matter bundles of parallel axons with their associated myelin sheaths are white in color Gray matter collections of neuron cell bodies and unmyelinated axons are grayer in color; performs integrative functions or acts as relay areas in which axons synapse with the cell bodies of other neurons; central area of spinal cord; cortex outer surface of brain; nuclei within the brain

Nerve tracts formed by axons that make up the white matter of the CNS; propagate action potentials from one area in the CNS to another Electric Signals Action potentials electric signals produced by cells; cells transfer information from one part of the body to another; those originating from the brain and spinal cord conducted to muscles and certain glands to regulate their activities