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Unit 3.10 Neurons: Structure of A Neuron

Neurons are the basic building blocks and functional units of the nervous system. Each neuron has a cell body called the soma that receives and integrates neural signals from dendrites and transmits signals down the axon to synapse with other neurons or cells. There are three main types of neurons - sensory neurons that receive information and transmit it to the central nervous system, motor neurons that transmit signals from the central nervous system to muscles and glands, and interneurons that relay signals between sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system.

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62 views5 pages

Unit 3.10 Neurons: Structure of A Neuron

Neurons are the basic building blocks and functional units of the nervous system. Each neuron has a cell body called the soma that receives and integrates neural signals from dendrites and transmits signals down the axon to synapse with other neurons or cells. There are three main types of neurons - sensory neurons that receive information and transmit it to the central nervous system, motor neurons that transmit signals from the central nervous system to muscles and glands, and interneurons that relay signals between sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system.

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Neville Cheong (SPC)
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Unit 3.

10 Neurons
Neuron: individual nerve cell that receives, processes, and/or transmits information to other
cells.

Described as a “building block “of the nervous system because the NS is comprised of neurons
organised into complex chains and networks that form neural pathways through which information
continuously travels.

- Play a vital role in enabling the NS to function


- Carry information (message) in the form of a neural impulse to the appropriate part of the NS or
interprets the message and enable a response.

Structure of a neuron

Dendrite
- thin extension of a neuron that detects and receives information from other neurons.
- Each dendrite separates out like the branches of a tree.
- Information received by dendrites is passed to the soma
Soma
- integrates (combines) the neural information received from the neuron’s many dendrites and
sends it to the axon
- within the soma is the nucleus contains biochemical information that maintains the neuron
and keeps it functioning
Axon
- single, tubelike, extension that transmits neural information away from the soma to other
neurons or cells
- neurons usually have 1 axon, but it branches out to allow it to send messages to multiple cells
- vary in length
Axon terminals

- are the small branches at the end of an axon.


- These are called axon collaterals. At the end of the collaterals are axon terminals.  the end of
each axon terminal is a terminal button
- Terminal button: a small structure that stores and secretes a neurotransmitters that is
manufactured by the neuron and carries its message to other neurons or cells.
- When a message reaches the axon terminals, it stimulates the release of transmitters from
the terminal buttons the neurotransmitter carries the message through a synaptic gap
Both the spinal cord and the brain consist of neural tissue made up of grey matter and white matter.
- Grey matter: composed of unmyelinated neuron cell bodies and the dense network of
dendrites and their connections to adjacent neurons
- White matter is composed of axons coated with myelin that are grouped into bundles (forming
‘nerves’) that make connections with other groups of neurons over longer distances through the
brain.
In the human brain, grey matter occupies the surface area (cerebral cortex) and white matter the inside
area (see Figure 3.2 on page 123). In the spinal cord, the pattern is reversed.

Myelin
- is a white, fatty substance that coats and helps insulate the axon from the activity of other nearby
axons.
- The coating occurs in segments
- Helps communicate messages faster than unmyelinated neurons
How is information transmitted between 2 neurons
1. When the neural impulse reaches the axon terminal, neurotransmitter chemicals in small
reservoirs or sacs are released into the synaptic cleft
2. The chemical passes across the synapse and is detected by the receptor sites on the
dendrites of the receiving cells
3. The receiving cell’s activity will either be activated (by an excitatory connection) or reduced
(by an inhibitory connection) through the specific action of the neurotransmitter

Types of neurons
Sensory neurons/motor neurons: found primary in the PNS

Interneurons: found only in the CNS


Sensory neurons

- receive and carry sensory information.  this information is received from both our external
and internal environments then transmitted to the CNS
- main role: help us sense the external world and monitor changes within our bodies.
- Information is received from the external environment via sensory receptors in sense organs,
and internally, within the body, from the muscles, joints, tendons, organs and glands.
- Different type of sensory neurons: specialised to response to a specific stimulus

Sensory receptors are the specialised cells that convert physical signals into neural messages that can be
received by sensory neurons for transmission to the CNS, primarily to the brain for interpretation.

Motor neurons
Carry messages from the CNS to the cells in skeletal muscles, organs and glands to stimulate activity.
- Located in the lower brain stem and spinal chord
- Enable muscles to move, glands to secrete, help control the internal organs (heart, lungs)
- essentially control all actions and therefore all forms of behaviour.

Interneurons
- act as a link between sensory and motor neurons, relaying information from one to the other
- Interneurons exist only within the CNS
Touching a hot object e.g.:

Sensory neurons will carry sensory information from the PNS to the spinal cord of the CNS 
interneurons receive and the information and pass on a message to motor neurons  message will be
sent back to your hand through motor neurons to release the handle.
1. Sensory neurons= sends information from sensory receptors (e.g. in skin, eyes, nose, tongue,
ears) TOWARDS the central nervous system

2. Motor neurons= sends information AWAY from the central nervous system to muscles, organs
and glands.

3. Interneurons= send information BETWEEN sensory neurons and motor neurons.

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