Nervous system lab slides

Nervous System

The master controlling and communicating system of the body

Nervous System Functions

• Sensory input

• Integration

• Motor output

Central Nervous System

• Brain and Spinal Cord

• Integrative and Control Centers

Peripheral Nervous System

• Cranial Nerves

• Spinal Nerves

• Ganglia

• Sensory organs

Afferent (Sensory) Division (PNS)

Sensory organs: receptors, neurons

Efferent (Motor) Division (PNS)

• Somatic Nervous System

• Autonomic Nervous System

two parts of the PNS

Afferent (Sensory) Division and Efferent (Motor) Division

somatic nervous system

skeletal muscle

autonomic nervous system

smooth or cardiac muscles, glands or GI nuerons

Histology of Nervous Tissue

Highly Cellular and made up of Neuroglia (glial cells), and Neurons

Neuroglia in CNS

• Astrocytes

• Microglia

• Ependymal Cells

• Oligodendrocytes

Neuroglia in PNS

• Satellite Cells

• Schwann Cells

Astrocytes

Most abundant and versatile of glial cells

Astrocytes function

• Biochemical support of the cells that

form the blood-brain barrier

• Provide nutrients to nervous tissue

• Maintain extracellular ion balance

• Involved in repair and scarring in the

nervous system following injury of CNS

Microglia

• 20% of the glial cells

• Macrophages of the brain

and spinal cord

• Main form of active

immune defense in the

CNS

Ependymal Cells

• Line ventricles and internal cavities of the brain and spinal cord

• Secrete and circulate cerebral spinal cord fluid

Oligodendrocytes

• Line up along the thicker neuron fibers in the CNS

• Wrap the neuronal fibers and produce myelin sheaths

Satellite Cells

Regulate chemical environment of neurons

Schwann Cells

Surround and form myelin sheaths around the larger nerve fibers in the PNS