Lecture
Objectives
Ø List the structural component of the nervous
tissue?:
[Link] .
[Link].
Ø Structure of nerve fibers.
ØTypes of neurons.
Nervous Tissue
It is one of the four basic tissues of the body.
- The nervous system is divided into:
1- Central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
It is comprised of:
- Nerve cells (neurons).
- Supporting cells (neuroglia).
2- Peripheral nervous system:
- It is comprised of:
- Peripheral nerves (cranial and spinal).
- Ganglia (craniospinal and autonomic).
Neurons
It is the structural and functional unit of the nervous
system.
Types of neurons:
1-Unipolar (pseudo – unipolar)
Ø Are flask-shaped, having a single process which
divides into a central (axon) and a peripheral branch
(dendrites).
Sites: spinal ganglia, 2-mesensephalic nucleus of the 5th
cranial nerve.
2-Bipolar nerve cells:
üAre fusiform, cells with two single processes arising
from the two opposite poles.
üSites: retina, and olfactory epithelium.
3-Multipolar nerve cells:
Ø The commonest type which have several processes.
I- These are classified according to their shape into 3
kinds:
a- Stellate cells:anterior horn and the sympathetic
ganglia.
b- Pyramidal cells: the cells of the cerebral cortex.
c- Pyriform: flask-shaped, Purkinje cells of the
cerebellum
II- According to the length of their axons into:
ü Golgi type I, with a long axon
ü Golgi type II, with a short axon
Perikaryon
Ø The cell body: varies in size and shape.
Ø Nucleus: is large, rounded , central,
and vesicular
Ø The cytoplasm contains:
• Golgi apparatus , Mitochondria, sER,
• Nissl granules (basophilic bodies) give
the nerve cell its basophilic
appearance formed of polyribosome
Axon hillock Microtubules
Ultrastructure of a neuron.
and rough emdoplasmic reticulum.
• Nissl granules are present in the
perikaryon and the dendrites
• Nissl granules are absent in the axon
and axon hillock.
• Neurofibrils, neurofilament and
neurotubules.
• Inclusions: lipofuscin, melanin granules
and lipid droplets
The processes of the Neuron
1- The axon.
2- The dendrites.
Axon
Ø Single.
Ø Smooth.
Ø Not branch.
Ø Carry impulse away from the cell body.
Ø Arise from axon hillock .
Ø Both axon and axon hillock are devoid of
Nissl bodies.
Dendrites
Ø Multiple.
Ø Branched.
Ø Covered by process (SPINES ).
Ø Contain Nissl bodies.
Ø Carry impulse toward the cell body.
The Axon The Dendrite
1. Single. 1. Multiple.
2. Thin, and long 2. Thick, and short.
3. Has regular and constant 3. Thick near its origin, and thin
diameter towards its apex.
4. Has a smooth surface. 4. Irregular surface covered by
dendritic spines (gemmules).
5. Branches at its terminal 5. Extensive branching along its
(terminal arborization). course the branches arise at
give “collaterals“ along its acute angles.
course at right angles.
6. Contains mitochondria, 6. Contain the usual organelles
neurofibrils and except the Golgi complexes
neurotubules.
7. No Nissl granules. 7. Contain Nissl granules
8. Conduct nerve impulse 8. Conduct nerve impulse to the cell
away from the cell body. body and the other dendrites.
9. May be myelinated 9. No mylein sheath
Nerve fibers
• Consist of axon surrounded by a myeline sheath.
. External to the myelin is neurilemma (sheath of Schwann cell).
• One axon surrounded by several Schwann cells.
Types :
1. Myelinated with neurilemma: in the peripheral nervous
system.
2. Myelinated without neurilemma: in the white matter and in
the optic nerve.
3. Non-myelinated with Neurilemma: in autonomic nervous
system and in peripheral nerves.
4. Non-myelinated without Neurilemma: in the grey matter
and the terminal part of all peripheral nerve fibers.
Myelin Sheath
Ø It is interrupted by constrictions called "nodes of ranvier".
Ø Derived from Schwann cells (in peripheral nerves) and
oligodendroglia cells (in the C.N.S.).
Ø Consisting of lipids.
Ø Can be stained by osmic acid.
Ø Its function is insulation of the nerve impulse.
Neurilemmal Sheath (Schwann Cells)
ü One axon is surrounded by several Schwann Cells
Ø The function of neurilemma:
1) Formation of myelin in PNS.
Ganglia
Ø Ganglia are aggregation of cell bodies of neurons
located outside CNS
Ø There 2 types:
1-Sensory (spinal or dorsal root).
2-Autonomic (Sympathatisc & Parathampatic)
Spinal Autonomic
1. Capsule
ü Thick. üThin
[Link] cell:
ü Pseudounipolar. üMultipolar.
ü Rounded cell body. üStellate.
ü Arranged in groups. üNot arranged in groups.
ü large in size and few. üSmall and many.
ü Rounded central nucleus üEccentric nucleus.
ü surrounded by satellite üFew satellite cells.
(capsular )cells
ü Presence of glomerlus üNo glomerlus
[Link] fibers:
ü Mylinated. üSmaller not mylinated
[Link]:
ü Cranial and spinal sensory ü Sympathetic chain and along
nerves the parasympathetic nerves.
Structure of peripheral nerve trunk
1. The whole nerve trunk is invested
by a fibrous layer termed
epineurium.
2. The myelinated nerve fibers are
arranged in bundles separated by
another connective tissue termed
the perineurium.
3. The individual fibers are
separated by loose connective
tissue termed the endoneurium.
N.B. In sections stained with osmic
acid, the myelin is preserved and
stained as black circles around
unstained axons.
