cells of the nervous system

Question 1

what are neurons

Answer 1

cells that are specialized for the reception, conduction, and transmission of electrochemical signals

Question 2

what is the axon

Answer 2

the long, narrow process that projects from the cell body

Question 3

what are the buttons

Answer 3

they release chemicals into synapses

Question 4

what do microtubules do

Answer 4

responsible for the rapid transport of material throughout neurons

Question 5

what is the neuron cell membrane composed of?

Answer 5

a lipid bilayer ( two layers of fat molecules)

Question 6

what is embedded in the lipid bilayer?

Answer 6

numerous protein molecules which are the basis of many of the cell membranes functional properties

Question 7

what are channel proteins

Answer 7

only certain molecules can pass through

Question 8

what are signal proteins

Answer 8

transfer signal to the inside of the neuron when particular molecules bind to them on the outside of the membrane

Question 9

multipolar neuron

Answer 9

a neuron with more than two processes extending from its cell body (most neurons are multipolar)

Question 10

unipolar neuron

Answer 10

a neuron with one process extending from its cell body

Question 11

bipolar neurons

Answer 11

a neuron with two processes extending from its cell body

Question 12

interneurons

Answer 12

neurons with a short axon or no axon at all

Question 13

what is the function of interneurons?

Answer 13

to integrate neural activity within a single brain structure, not to conduct signals from on structure to another

Question 14

what are the two kinds of gross neural structures in the nervous system?

Answer 14

those composed of cell bodies and those composed of axons

Question 15

Nuclei

Answer 15

in the CNS clusters of cell bodies

Question 16

Ganglia

Answer 16

PNS neural structures

Question 17

what are tracts

Answer 17

bundles of axons in the CNS

Question 18

what are nerves

Answer 18

bundles of axons in the PNS

Question 19

how many glia are there compared to nuerons?

Answer 19

equal numbers

Question 20

what are Oligodendrocytes

Answer 20

glial cells with extensions that wrap around the axons of some neurons of the CNS

Question 21

what is myelin

Answer 21

a fatty insulating substance

Question 22

what do myelin sheaths do

Answer 22

increase the speed and efficiency of axonal conduction

Question 23

Schwann cells

Answer 23

-second class of glia
-compose the myelin sheaths of PNS axons and promote the regeneration of PNS axons

Question 24

how many myelin segments do Schwann cells constitute?

Answer 24

one

Question 25

How many myelin segments do oligodendrocytes constitutes?

Answer 25

several, often on more than one axon

Question 26

which kind of glia can guide axonal regeneration after damage?

Answer 26

Schwann cells

Question 27

what are microglia?

Answer 27

-third class of glia
-smaller than other glial cells
-they respond to injury or disease by multiplying, engulfing cellular debris or even entire cells, they also trigger inflammatory responses

Question 28

what are astrocytes ?

Answer 28

-fourth class of glia
-largest glial cells
-star shaped
-some astrocytes cover the outer surfaces of blood vessels that course through the brain and make contact with neurons
-play a role in allowing the passage of some chemicals from the blood into CNS neurons and in blocking other chemicals
-have the ability to contract or relax blood vessels based on blood flow demands of particular brain regions

Question 29

What are some other functions of astrocytes?

Answer 29

-exchange chemical signals with neurons and other astrocytes
-control the establishment and maintenance of synapses between neurons
-modulate neural activity
-form functional networks with neurons and other astrocytes
-control the blood-brain barrier
-respond to brain injury

Question 30

what are some functions of microglia?

Answer 30

-play a role in regulation of cell death
-synapse formations
-synapse elimination

Question 31

What do some think that glial cells are the home to?

Answer 31

our thoughts

Question 32

what is the major problem with visualizing neurons?

Answer 32

they are so tightly packed and their axons and dendrites so intricately intertwine that it is hard to reveal anything about them

Question 33

what is the key to the study of neuroanatomy

Answer 33

preparing neural tissue in a variety of ways

Question 34

what is the Golgi stain?

Answer 34

-used when the overall shape of the neuron is of interest
- a neural stain that completely darkens a few of the neurons in each slice of tissue, thereby revealing their silhouettes.