Anatomy of

Nervous Tissue
Peripheral Cranial
nerves nerves
 Nerve tissue is distributed throughout the body
as an integrated communications network and
is made up of closely packed cells that are
separated by very little amount of intercellular
substance.

 Nervous tissue arises from embryonic

ectoderm.
Two types of cells in the nervous system:
 neurons : for processing, transfer, and
storage of information
 neuroglia : for support, regulation & protection
of neurons
 Neurons

 The functional unit of the nervous

tissue is the neuron or nerve cell which
are highly specialized cells that exhibit
irritability and conductivity

 Neurons are more variable in size and

shape than any other cell type in the
body; there are large cell neurons with
diameter up to 150 um, there are
neurons as small as 5 um.
Structure of a Neuron

Most neurons consist of 3 main parts :

1. cell body (perikaryon)
2. dendrites

3. axons dendrites

axons
Perikaryon
 consists essentially of
cytoplasm in which a
nucleus is embedded,
bounded externally by
a plasma membrane
and exclusive of the
cell processes.
Nucleus

is commonly spherical,
unusually large with a
prominent nucleolus.

.
.
Cytoplasm
Organelles
Nissl substance : consists of granules which are
composed of rough ER
Golgi complex : appears as a network of irregular wavy
threads around the nucleus and is located only in the cell
body.
Mitochondria : found scattered throughout the
cell body, dendrites and axons. They are
spherical or rod shaped.
Cytoskeleton
 neurofilaments - intermediate filaments (10 nm)
- abundant in both perikarya and
processes
 microtubules - provide internal support for the
neurons and they also strengthen
synapses

Inclusion bodies
 lipofuscin deposits occur as yellowish, brown
granules believed to be formed as a result of
lysosomal activity
 melanin granules found in cytoplasm of cells in
certain parts of the brain
( substantia nigra of the midbrain)
 Dendrites
 many elongated processes specialized to receive
stimuili from the environment, sensory epithelial
cells or other neurons
 usually short and divided like tree branches
 Most neurons have many dendrites to increase the
receptive area of the cell.

.
 Dendrites
 Their diameter tapers as they extend from the cell
body and they branch profusely; the finer
branches bear small projection called dendritic
spines.

.
 Axon
 a single process specialized in generating
and conducting nerve impulses to other
cells (nerve cells, muscle cells, gland cells)
 arises from a pyramid shaped region of the
perikaryon called the axon hillock.
 Axons
 The initial segment of the axon is the first 50 to
100 um after it leaves the axon hillock.
This is the most excitable part of the axon and is
the site at which an action potential originates.

axon hillock
initial segment
 Axons
The distal terminal ends of the axons are often
enlarged and are called terminals or boutons
which is part of a functional connection
known
a synapse.
axon hillock
initial segment
In addition to conducting
impulses, axons also
transport chemical
substances or
neurotransmitters which
are first synthesized in the
cell body.

These neurotransmitters
are released once a nerve
impulse is transmitted.
 Synapse
 Is the point of contact between a neuron and
another cell and it is the site of transmission of a
nerve impulse
Two types of synapse:
1. electrical synapses : involve gap junctions
2. chemical synapses : involve neurotransmitters
Neurons can synapse
with:

1. Neurons

2. Muscle

3. Glands
Types of neurons based on morphology

/
1. Multipolar
 more than two processes arising from perikaryon
 Most neurons of the brain and spinal cord are of
this type.

/
2. Bipolar
 possess an elongated cell body from each
end of which a process emerges.
 Examples of this type are found in the retina and
the vestibular ganglion.

/
3. Unipolar

 are those in which the cell body has a single process

that divides a short distance from the cell body into
two branches one, proceeding to some peripheral
structure and the other entering the CNS.
 Found in spinal ganglia and in most cranial ganglia.

/
4. Anaxonic neurons : with many dendrites but no
true axon, thus do not produce action potentials,
instead regulates electrical changes of adjacent
neurons.
 Type of neurons based on size

1. Golgi type I neurons

 have a long axon that may be 1 m or more in
length
example: pyramidal cells and Purkinje cells
Pyramidal cells of cerebral cortex
Cerebellar purkinje cells
2. Golgi type II neurons
 have a short axon and short dendrites
 The short dendrites that arise from these
neurons give them a star-shaped appearance.
Types of neurons based on function:

1. Motor neurons (efferent) : send motor

nerve impulses to muscles and glands
2. Sensory neurons (afferent) : transport
sensory information from skin, muscles,
joints, sense organs & viscera to CNS.
3. Interneurons (association) : connect
sensory to motor neurons.
 Neuroglia (glial cells)
CNS neuroglia
astrocytes
oligodendrocytes
microglia N
ependymal cells N

PNS neuroglia G
Schwann cells
Satellite cels
 Oligodendrocytes
 Have small cell bodies and few delicate processes
and no filaments in their cytoplasm
 Produce the myelin sheath that provides the
electrical insulation for neurons in the CNS.
 Oligodendrocytes extend processes that wrap
around parts of several axons to produce a myelin
sheath.
O

O
Astrocytes
 Have a large number of
radiating processes

Two types:
1. Fibrous astrocytes:
with relatively few long
processes and are
located in the white
matter
2. Protoplasmic astrocytes:
many short, branched
processes found in the
gray matter.
The larger processes of all
asctrocytes are reinforced
with bundles of intermediate
filaments made of glial
fibrillary acid protein (GFAP)
which serves as a unique
marker for astrocytes, the
most common source of brain
tumors.
Perivascular feet: expansions of extending
processes which are in direct contact with
capillaries which cover capillary endothelial
cells and contribute to the blood brain barrier.
Function of astrocytes:

1. regulate constituents of the

extracellular environment
2. absorb excess of neurotransmitters
3. secrete numerous metabolites and
factors regulating neuronal activities
4. Form scar tissue in damaged areas
Ependymal Cells
 Are low columnar or
cuboidal cells that line
the ventricles of the brain
and central canal of the
spinal cord.

 They form the secretory

epithelial lining of the
choroid plexuses which
secrete CSF.

 Produce and help circulate

the CSF.
 Microglia
 Smallest of the neuroglial cells and are found scattered

throughout the CNS

 Sometimes called resting microglial cells
 Constitute the major mechanism of immune defense in
the CNS
 originate from circulating blood monocytes
Microglial cells have short branching processes.
 Satellite Cells
 Form a covering layer over the large
neuronal cell bodies
in PNS ganglia.
 Schwann Cells
 Are found only in the PNS ; sometimes called
neurolemmocytes
 One Schwann cell forms myelin around the segment

of one axon.
 Nervous System

Central Nervous Peripheral Nervous

System System
(CNS) (PNS)
 brain

spinal cord
 Meninges
pia mater
arachnoid mater

dura mater

Three (3) layers:

 Dura mater: outermost sheath
dense, strong fibrous membrane
 Arachnoid mater : space contains CSF
 Pia mater : innermost, thin, delicate, vascular
membrane
Peripheral Nervous System

 There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves

which leave the brain and pass through
foramina in the skull.
Peripheral Nervous System

 There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves which

leave the spinal cord and pass through
intervertebral foramina in the vertebral
column. The spinal nerves are named
according to the regions of the vertebral
column with which they are associated