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Nervous Tissue

The document describes the structure and function of nervous tissue, including neurons, myelination, synapses, and peripheral nerves. It covers the key cells involved like Schwann cells, their roles, and some clinical implications of disorders affecting these structures and cells.

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38 views35 pages

Nervous Tissue

The document describes the structure and function of nervous tissue, including neurons, myelination, synapses, and peripheral nerves. It covers the key cells involved like Schwann cells, their roles, and some clinical implications of disorders affecting these structures and cells.

Uploaded by

matharatraders
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Nervous Tissue

Dr K.W.S.M. Wijayawardhana
MBBS (Col)
Objectives
• Describe the structure of neuron
• Describe the cells in the nervous tissue
• Describe the importance of myelination
• Describe the structure of synapse & neuromuscular junction
• Describe the structure of peripheral nerve tissue
• Interpret the clinical significance
Classification of Nervous system
Two main parts
1. The central nervous system (CNS) –brain & spinal cord
2. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) - nerves & ganglia

Functional Classification
1. Somatic nervous system – involved in voluntary functions
2. Autonomic nervous system - involuntary functions
a. sympathetic system
b. parasympathetic system
Neurons
• Nervous system consists of neurons and supporting tissues
• Neurons - structural and functional units of the central and peripheral
nervous systems
• Function - receive stimuli and transmit nerve impulses
• Vary in size and shape
Basic structure of neuron
1.Cell body

2. Processes extend
from the cell body
• Axon
• Dendrites
1. Cell body
• containing the nucleus
• surrounded by cytoplasm (perikaryon)

2. Processes - of two types extend from the cell body


Axons Dendrites
➢ Single axon ➢ One or more dendrites
➢usually convey impulses ➢ function as the major sites of
away from the nerve cell information input into the
body (efferents) neuron
➢Usually impulses are conveyed
towards the nerve cell body
(afferent)
Axon

• Each neuron has a single axon


• The axon is a long cylindrical process
terminating on other neurones or effector
organs
• Arise from a cone-shaped portion of the
cell body called the axon hillock
• At the terminal end, it has variable
number of small branches which end in
small swellings called terminal boutons
Dendrites

• Dendrites are highly branched tapering


processes
• Function as the major sites of information
input into the neuron
• End in specialized sensory receptors or
form synapses with neighboring neurons
1. Describe the ultrastructure of the neuron
2. Describe the significance of cytoskeleton of the neuron in axonal
transport
3. Briefly describe the specific microscopic features of cell body
Basic Neuron Types
Three main patterns according to the
arrangement of the axon and dendrites
with respect to the cell body

1. multipolar neuron
2. Bipolar neuron
3. pseudo-unipolar neuron
1. Multipolar neuron
• numerous dendrites project from the cell body
• the dendrites may all arise from one pole of the cell
body or may extend from all areas of the cell body
surface
Eg :- intermediate, integratory and motor neuron

2. Bipolar neurons
• have only a single dendrite which arises from the pole
of the cell body opposite to the origin of the axon
Eg :- receptor neurones for the senses of smell, sight
and balance
3. pseudo-unipolar neurons
• single dendrite and the axon arise from a common stem of the cell
body
• this stem is formed by the fusion of the first part of the dendrite and
axon of a bipolar type of neurone during embryological development

Eg :- primary sensory neurones


Schwann cells
• Highly specialized cells
• Envelope the axons of PNS

Function
• Provide structural and metabolic support
• Form myelin sheath

➢Nerve fibres with myelin sheaths – myelinated nerves


Nerve fibres in PNS

Myelinated Non –myelinated

• Large-diameter fibres • Small diameter axons


• Wrapped by a variable • Simply enveloped by the
number of concentric layers cytoplasm of Schwann
of the Schwann cell plasma cells
membrane
Non-myelinated axons with their supporting Schwann cell
• Mesaxon -zone of apposition of the Schwann cell membrane is called
Myelination
• Myelination increases axonal conduction velocity compared with that
of a non-myelinated fibre of the same diameter
• Myelination is interrupted at regular intervals having myelin free gaps
between consecutive Schwann cells - Nodes of Ranvier
How myelination increase the conduction velocity of axon ?

• Myelin sheath prevent the continues propagation of action potential along


the axon
• the action potential travels by jumping from node to node
Saltatory conduction

• In central nervous system, myelin sheaths are formed by -


oligodendrocytes
Synapses
• specialized intercellular junctions
• communication by linking neurons
• signal transmission is unidirectional
• response on the target cell may be either excitatory or inhibitory

• Types of synapses
1. axodendritic synapse - axon synapse with dendrites
2. axosomatic synapses - axons synapse with cell bodies
3. axoaxonic synapse - axons synapse with axon
Mechanism of conduction of the nerve
impulse - chemical neurotransmitter

• Terminal bouton
• Synaptic vesicles
• Synaptic cleft
• Presynaptic membrane
• Postsynaptic membrane
Neuro Muscular Junction ( NMJ)
( motor end plates)

• Neuron synapse with


skeletal muscle
Peripheral Nervous Tissue
• Peripheral nerves -composed of one or more bundles of nerve fibres
- fascicles
• Within the fascicles nerve fibre is surrounded by loose vascular
supporting tissue – endoneurium
• Each fascicle is surrounded by a condensed layer of collagenous tissue
invested by a layer of flat epithelial cells – perineurium
• In nerves with > 1 fascicle; further layer of loose collagenous tissue
binds the fascicles together - epineurium
Medium-sized peripheral nerve in transverse section
Transverse section of
peripheral nerves consists of a
single fascicle
single nerve fascicle in longitudinal section
Ganglia
• Aggregations of cell bodies of neurons outside CNS

• Usually cell bodies of all neurons are located in the central nervous
system
Exceptions - cell bodies of,
• primary sensory neurons
• terminal effector neurons of the ANS
Spinal ganglion

Nerve cell body is seen to be surrounded


by a layer of rounded satellite cells (Sa)
Sympathetic ganglion Paraympathetic
ganglion
Sensory Receptors
Clinical significance
• Disorders of myelin – GBS (Guillain-Barré syndrome)
• Synaptic loss - Alzheimer’s disease
• Disorders of NMJ - Myasthenia gravis
• Peripheral neuropathy
Any Questions ?

[email protected]
Objectives

• Describe the structure of neuron


• Describe the cells in the nervous tissue
• Describe the importance of myelination
• Describe the structure of synapse & neuromuscular junction
• Describe the structure of peripheral nerve tissue
• Interpret the clinical significance
References
1. Wheater’s Functional Histology -A Text and Colour Atlas –
Barbara Young, Geraldine O’Dowd, Phillip Woodford – 6th edition

2. Robbins Basic Pathology – 9th edition

3. Junqueira’s Basic Histology TEXT AND ATLAS - Anthony L.


Mescher – 14th edition
Thank you !

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