Peripheral Nervous System

Four Basic Types of Tissues in

the Body
----------------------------------------------Epithelium

Muscular Tissue

Connective Tissue

Nervous Tissue

The Nervous System

Anatomic Divisions
1) Central nervous system (CNS)
brain
spinal cord
2) Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
nerves
ganglia

The Nervous System

Basic cells of the peripheral nervous
system
1. Neuron
2. Neuroglia

Basic structures of the PNS

1. Ganglion
2. Nerve

Functional divisions of the nervous system

1. Somatic
2. Autonomic

The Nervous System

Basic cells of the peripheral nervous
system
1. Neuron
2. Neuroglia

Basic structures of the PNS

1. Ganglion
2. Nerve

Functional divisions of the nervous system

1. Somatic
2. Autonomic

The Neuron
A very large excitable cell
Origin is ectoderm
Building block for nerve and
ganglion
Structure:
Perikaryon (soma, cell body)
Dendrites - reception
Axon (nerve) transmission
Axon hillock - site of beginning
of axon
Nerve terminals

The Neuron

The Neuron
Cell body (soma) :
Euchromatic nucleus
Prominent nucleolus
Abundant Nissl bodies
rER
polyribosomes

Other organelles
Mitochondria
Golgi apparatus

The Neuron
Cell body (soma) :
Euchromatic nucleus
Prominent nucleolus
Abundant Nissl bodies
rER
polyribosomes

Other organelles
Mitochondria
Golgi apparatus

Types of Neurons Based on Shape

Special senses
(example: sight)

Sensory

Motor

The Nervous System

Basic cells of the peripheral nervous
system
1. Neuron
2. Neuroglia

Basic structures of the PNS

1. Ganglion
2. Nerve

Functional divisions of the nervous system

1. Somatic
2. Autonomic

Neuroglia- Support cells of the Nervous

System
Types of neuroglia
1. Satellite cells
(PNS) or
Astrocytes (CNS)
Surround Cell
bodies
Function in ion
exchange

Neuroglia- Support cells of the Nervous

System
Types of neuroglia
2. Neurolemmocyte (Schwann cell in PNS) or
Oligodendrocytes (CNS)
Surround axons
Contributes to myelin production around axons

How do Neurolemmocytes form Myelin?

Myelin Sheath
Nodes of Ranvier- gaps in
myelin; between adjacent
neurolemmocytes cells

Schmidt-Lantermann cleftsfunnel shaped interruptions in

myelin

Node of Ranvier

Myelin Sheath in cross section

Special Stain

Myelin Sheath in longitudinal

section

Schwann cell nucleus

Myelin
Axon
Node of Ranvier

Function of Myelin
Increase speed of conduction
1 meter/sec TO 120 meters/sec

Insulator
Protection of axon
Possible nutritional role
Direct regenerating axons

The unmyelinated axon

Axons may be coated by a myelin sheath (myelinated)
or
simply protected by being cradled in an indentation of a
Schwann cell (unmyelinated).

http://www.nvo.com/jin/neuronfigures/

Myelination vs Unmyelination
A.Myelinated
1 axon per Schwann cell
Faster conduction speed
Most peripheral nerves are
myelinated

B.Unmyelinated
Many axons per Schwann
cell
Slower conduction speed

The Nervous System

Basic cells of the peripheral nervous
system
1. Neuron
2. Neuroglia

Basic structures of the PNS

1. Ganglion
2. Nerve

Functional divisions of the nervous system

1. Somatic
2. Autonomic

Ganglion
Collection of neuronal cell
bodies in the peripheral nervous
system
Called Nucleus in the CNS

Nerve
Collections of
axons from
multiple
neurons bound
together by
connective
tissue in the
PNS.
Called tract in
the CNS

Neuron vs Ganglia vs Nerve

1 Neuron

Group of Neurons
Neuronal
cell body

Ganglion

Axon

Nerve

How are all the axons that make up a

nerve held together?

Organization of Peripheral Nerves

Layers of collagenous connective tissue hold axons together
to form a nerve

Epineurum - surrounding
entire nerve
Perineurum surrounding fascicles
constitutes the PNS
blood barrier via tight
junctions between
fibroblasts
Endoneurum - between
individual axons

Organization of Peripheral Nerves

The Nervous System

Basic cells of the peripheral nervous
system
1. Neuron
2. Neuroglia

Basic structures of the PNS

1. Nerve
2. Ganglion

Functions and Functional divisions of the

nervous system
1. Somatic
2. Autonomic

Functional Divisions of the Nervous System

1. Somatic- Voluntary (conscious)

2. Autonomic- Involuntary
Sympathetic - fight or flight

Parasympathetic vegetative;
rest and digest

Function of the Nervous System is

Communication
The nervous system is specialized for the transmission,
reception, and integration of electrical impulses
Dependent upon special signaling properties of neurons

Signaling Properties of Neurons

Characteristics of Neurons
Irritability - protoplasm capable to react to various
physical and chemical agents
Conductivity - ability to transmit the resulting excitation
from one locality to another

https://cinchlearning.com/clarity/cinch/glencoe_scie
nce_2012_texas/images/ebooks/sci7/240_2/sci_24
0_2_figure13.jpg

Activity of the Nervous System

Information
Receive: Afferent pathway sends message to CNS via
sensory neurons (bipolar or pseudounipolar)
Process: CNS (brain and spinal cord)
Transmit: Efferent pathways via motor neurons (mulitpolar
neurons)

http://s.myniceprofile.com/myspacepic/738/73824.gif

http://www.studyblue.com/n
otes/note/n/ch-12-spinalcordobjectives/deck/4448584

Activity of the Nervous System

Information
Receive: Afferent pathway sends message to CNS via
sensory neurons (bipolar or pseudounipolar)
Process: CNS (brain and spinal cord)
Transmit: Efferent pathways via motor neurons (mulitpolar
neurons)
brain

Spinal cord
http://www.studyblue.com/n
otes/note/n/ch-12-spinalcordobjectives/deck/4448584

Activity of the Nervous System

Information
Receive: Afferent pathway sends message to CNS via
sensory neurons (bipolar or pseudounipolar)
Process: CNS (brain and spinal cord)
Transmit: Efferent pathways via motor neurons (mulitpolar
neurons)

http://www.studyblue.com/n
otes/note/n/ch-12-spinalcordobjectives/deck/4448584

Axonal Transport - Direction of signal

Signal picked up by dendrites

Travel along axon (depolarization)

To axon terminals or nerve endings

And across the synapse
http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/sites/all/files/databooks/2011/ch1-fg2-communication-between-neurons.jpg

The Synapse
Synapse: Where axons make contact with other
neurons, muscle cells, or glands
Signals can go to other neurons = Axodendritic
http://bio1151b.nicerweb.net/Locked/media/ch48/48_05NeuronStructure.jpg

Signals can go to muscle = Motor end plate

https://www.bjupress.com/resources/images/biology/large/unit3/23a.1_neuron.jpg

Physiological Events at the

Synapse
Arrival of Action Potential
Opening of
Voltage-Gated ion
channels for Ca++ to
enter terminal
Influx of Ca++

Physiological Events at the

Synapse
Influx of Ca++ triggers
exocytosis of
neurotransmitters (ie
acetylcholine,
serotonin) from docked
vesicles

Transmitter diffuses
across synaptic cleft

Physiological Events at the

Synapse
Transmitter binds to
receptors on postsynaptic membrane
K+

Receptor binding causes

ion channels to open
causing Na+ to go into
cell and some K+ leaves
= Depolarization of target
cell

Na+

Physiological Events at the

Synapse
Removal or reuptake of
transmitter from cleft
and cycling of
membrane
Selective serotonin
re-uptake inhibitors

Examples of Neuroactive
Substances
Neurotransmitters - Acetylcholine
Neuromodulators - Receptor Coupled and
Second Messenger
Neurohormone - Serotonin, GABA slow
but widespread effect

Sensory Receptors
and
The Special Senses

Sensory Receptors
Receptors (Afferent Pathways)
Neuromuscular Spindles - sense stretch in
muscle

Sensory Receptors
Receptors (Afferent Pathways)
Pacinian Corpuscles- sense pressure in
skin and some organs

Sensory Receptors
Receptors (Afferent Pathways)
Meissners Corpuscles- fine touch in skin

Sensory Receptors

The Special Senses

Inner Ear

Eye

Olfactory

Clinical Correlation
Nerve damage
Types of Nerve injuries include
Neurapraxia: Nerve compression
Axonotmesis: axon transection with
perineurium and epineurium INTACT
Neurotmesis: complete nerve transection
including epineurium transection

Clinical Correlation
Nerve damage
Recovery times
Neurapraxia: Favorable, < 1 month
Axonotmesis: Favorable, 1mm/day

Neurotmesis: Unfavorable, can try suturing

epineurium

Wood, Mackinnon. Pathways regulating modality-specific axonal regeneration. 2015. Experimental Neurology, 265(171-175)

How Do Axons Regenerate?

A. Normal axon
B. Injured axon, axon
distal to injury
degenerates
C. Schwann cell
proliferation cord
D. Successful
regeneration

E. Not successful, axon

not in line with
schwann cell
proliferation cord