NERVOUS TISSUE

Dr. Tianbao Song

Ⅰ. General Characteristics
A. Made up of 2 types
of cells:
• neurons -- structural
and functional unit;
• neuroglia --
supporting, protecting
and nourishing
neurons.
B. Neurons
①Unique processes;
②Forming synapses;
③Conducting impulses.

C. Making up nervous
system: CNS -- brain and
spinal cord; PNS -- ganglia,
nerves.
D. Function: integrating
and coordinating body
activities.
Ⅱ. Neurons

• Various shape
and size,
• Cell body
and processes.
A. Cell body: metabolic, tropic and integral center
1. Nucleus
• large, spherical,
and pale-staining;
• a prominent
nucleolus.
2. Perikaryon -- perinuclear cytoplasm
a. Nissl bodies
• Basophilic particles,
• RER + free
ribosomes,
• Indicating active
protein synthesis.
b. Neurofibrils

• Thin threads with

silver staining;
• Neurofilaments
and microtubules;
• Cytoskeleton,
transportation of
substances.
B. Processes -- dendrites and axons
1. Dendrites
• One or more /neuron;
• Usually short and
thick, and branched;
• Dentritic spines on
surfaces;
• Containing
Nissl bodies;

•Receiving
information and
conducting it to
parent cell body.
2. Axon

• One axon each

neuron;
• Long and thin,
does not branch
profusely;
• Derived from axon
hillock;
• Devoid of Nissl
bodies;
• Axon terminals
(buttons) contain
vesicles with
neurotransmitters in
them;
• Conduct impulses away
from cell body.
C. Classification
1. According to number of processes
• Pseudounipolar: found in spinal ganglia;
• Bipolar: present in cochlear and vestibular
ganglia, retina, olfactory, etc;
• Multipolor: majority of neurons.
2. According to function
• Sensory or afferent;
• Motor or efferent;
• Interneurons: account for 99% of neurons in
the body.
3. According to neurotransmitter released
• Cholinergic: acetylcholine (Ach);
• Aminergic: norepinephrine (NE), DA, 5-HT;
• Peptidergic: polypeptides such as substance
P, vasopressin, etc.
III. Synapses
A. Definition:
Junction between
two neurons or
between a neuron
and an effector cell
specialized for
transmission of
impulses.
B. Classification
1. Electrical
synapses: permit
direct flow of
electrical current
between two
neurons (gap
junction).

2. Chemical synapses: use a chemical

mediator (neurotransmitter) to transmit
impulses in one direction;
 C. Structure of chemical synapses

Presynaptic element
Synaptic boutons
Synaptic cleft
Postsynaptic element
1. Presynaptic
element

•Usually axon
terminal;
• Synaptic
vesicles, Mit,
SER, Mt, Mf;
• Presynaptic
membrane
thickened with
presynaptic grid,
dense
projections.
 Clear vesicles –
Ach; dense core
vesicles – Amines,
peptides

Dense
projections
2. Synaptic cleft
Extracellular space between pre- and
postsynaptic membranes.
3. Postsynaptic
element
• Usually dendrite (or
spine) or cell body;
• Postsynaptic
membrane thickened
(type I, type II);
• Receptors to the
neurotransmitter.
D. Function – transmitting impulses in one
direction
Ⅳ. Neuroglia
A. General features
1. More than neurons by 5
-10 times;
2. With processes, but not
conduct impulses;
3. Only nuclei seen with
Nissl stains. Silver staining
shows processes and
cytoplasm;
4. Can divide after birth;
B. Neuroglia in CNS
1. Astrocytes

• Most numerous;
oval, pale staining
nucleus;
• Many processes:
fibrous and protoplasmic;
• Glial filaments (GFAP);
• Support & separate
neurons, repair, secrete
NTF, etc;
• Component of blood-brain barrier
• endothelial cells
with tight
junctions;
• continuous basal
lamina;
• vascular feet of
astrocyte
processes.
2. Oligodendrocytes
• Smaller with a
round, dark-staining
nucleus;
• Forming myelin
sheath around axons
in the CNS.
3. Microglia
• smallest with a
irregular, darkly
stained nucleus;
• Phagocytic;
• Derived from
monocytes.
4. Ependymal cells
• columnar or
cuboidal epithelioid
cells;
• lining ventricles of
brain and central
canal of spinal cord.
C. Neuroglia in PNS
1. Schwann cells
• Forming myelin sheath around axons in PNS;
• Secreting neurotrophic factors (NGF, BDNF).
2. Capsular cells
(satellite cells)
• A layer of flattened
or cuboidal cells;
• Forming capsule
around neurons in
peripheral ganglia.
Ⅴ. Nerve Fibers
A. Myelinated nerve fibers in PNS
1. Basic structure
• Axon + myelin
sheath +
neurolemma;
• Node of Ranvier
Portions devoid of
myelin sheath;
• Internode
between 2
consecutive nodes
- one Schwann
cell.
2. Myelin sheath
a. LM:
sponge like (H &
E),
Black (OsO4).
b. EM: concentric
lamellae.
c. Incisures of Schmidt-Lanterman: cone-
shaped clefts (contain cytoplasm).
d. Formation
Schwann cell plasmalemma winding around
axon many times.
3. Neurolemma
Outermost layer of
cytoplasm, cell
membrane and
basai lamina of
Schwann cells.
B. Myelinated nerve fibers in CNS
• Similar to Myelinated nerve fibers in PNS;
• No neurolemma, no incisures of
Schmidt-Lanterman;
• Myelin sheath is formed by processes of
oligodendrocytes.
C. Unmyelinated nerve fibers
1. PNS
• No myelin sheath
and nodes of
Ranvier.
• Thin axons (single
or group) indented
into Schwann cells;
2. CNS
• Free axons
among other
neuronal and glial
processes
D. Functional role
1. Unmyelinated nerve fibers continuous
conduction
2. Myelinated nerve fibers:
• Enhancing conduction speed via saltatory
conduction;
• Thicker
axon→ thicker
myelin sheath
and longer
internode
→greater
conduction
velocity.
Ⅵ. Nerve and nerve endings
A. Nerves -- Made up of nerve fibers and
connective tissue
1. Nerve fibers
Mixed -- both
myelin Ted and
unmyelinated,
sensory and
motor.
2. Connective tissue Ep

• Epineurium:
Fibrous Ct enclosing
entire nerve;
• Perineurium: Sheet Pe
of flattened epithelium-
like cells surrounding
each nerve bundles; Ep

• Endoneurium: Thin
layer of LCt
enveloping each nerve
fiber.
B. Nerve endings
1. Classification
(1) Sensory (receptors)
a. Free nerve endings
b. Encapsulated nerve endings
• Tactile corpuscles
• Lamellated corpuscles
• Muscular spindles
(2) Motor (effectors)
a. Somatic (motor end plate)
b. Visceral
2. Free nerve endings
• Abundant in epidermis, cornea, hair follicles;
• Branches of naked nerve fibers;
• Responding
to cold, heat
and pain.
3. Tactile (Meissner) corpuscles
• Found in dermal papillae;
• Touch receptors;
• Oval bodies with flattened
cells, CT capsule and
nerve terminal(s).
4. Lamellated (Pacinian) corpuscles

• Distributed in subcutaneous tissue,

mesentery;
• Perceiving pressue and vibration;
• Composed of concentric lamellae of
flattened cells, an internal cylinder, and
naked nerve fiber terminal(s).
5. Muscular spindles
• Distributed in skeletal muscle;
• Formed by CT capsule, intrafusal muscle
fibers (thin, striated, nuclei arranged in chain or
cluster);
• Nerve fibers end as annulospiral or flower-
spray endings;
• Proprioceptors: detecting muscle length
and its changes to regulate muscle tone.
6. Motor end plate (myoneural junction)
• Synapse between motor nerve terminals
and skeletal muscle fibers causing muscle
contraction;
• LM: Nerve fibers ramify with each terminal
dilating as a plate like mass touching a
muscle fiber;
• EM: Presynaptic element (axon terminal) –
vesicles containing Ach, postsynaptic
membrane (sarcolemma) – N receptors for
Ach.