Nervous System in Brief

Types of Nervous Systems

Central Nervous System (CNS) Brain and spinal cord Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Cranial and Spinal Nerves. Autonomic Nervous System. (ANS) Regulates activity of organs.
Sympathetic: fight or flight. Parasympathetic: feed or breed.

Sensory vs. Motor

Sensory: perception of the world. Motor: activates muscles or glands. Central Nervous System: Sensory and motor. Peripheral nervous system: sensory and motor. Autonomic Nervous System: Only motor.

Neurons

Neuron
Types: Multipolar: Motor Bipolar: Sensory found in vision, taste and smell. Pseudounipolar: sensory

Interneuron [49] & Motor neuron [50]

(Multipolar Neurons)

Pseudounipolar neuron

Parts of the neuron

Cell body Axon: Usually sends signals away from the cell body. Long and single to branching Dendrites: receive signals and send them to the cell body. Short and usually multiple.

dendrite

Axon

Cell body
Large nucleus Nucleolus often present. Found in ganglia or in the brain or spinal cord.

Dendrite

Axon

Neuron Cell Body

Axon for neighbor neuron Dendrite

Axon

Axon Hillock Bouton with Synaptic Cleft

Neural Cell Body Locations

Ganglia: collection of cell bodies outside the central nervous system. On the sides of spinal cords Nuclei: collections of cell bodies within the central nervous system. Within white matter of brain or brain regions

Nerve vs. Tract

Nerve: Collection of axons (fibers) outside the central nervous system. Tract: collection of axons (fibers) within the central nervous system.

Myelinated vs. Unmyelinated

Myelinated: axons are wrapped in a roll or phospholipid bilayers from a neuroglial cell. Gaps between cells = nodes of Ranvier. Fast transmission. Unmyelinated: axons held by neuroglial cells, but not completely enclosed by them. Slow transmission.

Myelinated Axon via Schwann cell

Axon Node of Ranvier

Schwann cells

Neuroglial Cells
Helpers for neurons Glial means glue

Schwann cells
Create myelin sheathes around the axons in nerves. Peripheral Nervous System Also called Neurolemmocytes. Cell wraps around axon like a jelly roll.

Schwann cells (Neurolemmocytes)

Axon Node of Ranvier

Schwann cells

Cross Section of Schwann Cell

Node of Ranvier

Schwann cell holding many unmyelinated axons

Axons

Oligodendrocytes
Creates myelin sheathes around axons in the central nervous system. Central nervous System Several cellular extensions from a cell body like an octopus holding multiple rods.

Oligodendrocyte

Satellite cells
Surround neural cell bodies in ganglia. May help keep cell bodies from communicating with each other. Function may be similar to Astrocytes.

Ependymal cells
Produce and circulate cerebral spinal fluid. Found in the ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord.

Ependymal cell

Microglial cells
Phagocytes of the nervous system. Found throughout the central nervous system.

Microglial cell

Astrocytes
Create the blood brain barrier. May help select materials to be sent to the neurons form the capillaries. Keep capillaries tight; prevent leakage. Mop up excessive ions and neurotransmitters.

Astrocyte

Mnemonic
S = satellite cells O = oligodendrocytes M = microglial cells E = ependymal cells Always = astrocytes Shine = schwann cells (Note: the 2 Ss are peripheral)