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Reuben's Neuroscience > Histology > Flashcards

Histology Flashcards

1
Q

What is grey matter composed of?

A

Neuronal cell bodies

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2
Q

What are neurons supported by?

A

Glia

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3
Q

How are microglia different from other cells of the nervous system?

A

They have a different developmental origin; they come from haemopoietic origins from bone marrow

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4
Q

T/F: Grey matter takes up more space in the brain than white matter.

A

False. White matter takes up more space in the brain

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5
Q

What is white matter made of?

A

Neuronal tracts

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6
Q

How many layers of neurons are there in the entire cortex?

A

Six (6).

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7
Q

What stain makes neuronal cell bodies show up blue and tract show up as white?

A

Giemsa stain

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8
Q

What does neuronal matter look like under Giemsa stain?

A

Cell bodies show up blue and tracts look white (but you cannot discriminate individual tracts)

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9
Q

What are some stains used to visualise neurons?

A
  • Giemsa stains
  • H&E
  • Silver stain
  • Nissl stain
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10
Q

What does the brain float in within the cranium?

A

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

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11
Q

What structures does the ventricular system include and what is its role?

A

The ventricular system contains the lateral, 3rd and 4th ventricles as well as the central canal of the spinal cord and its role is to form and provide passage for CSF

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12
Q

What is the name of the vascular structure that arise from the wall of each ventricle?

A

Choroid plexus

CSF formed by its epithelium

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13
Q

What are ependymal cells?

A
  • Low columnar or cuboidal cells that line the central canal of the spinal cord and the ventricle within the brain
  • In some places have cilia on apical surface to aid CSF flow
  • Different to epithelial cells – non-basal laminar
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14
Q

Name two limitations that are intrinsic in neurons.

A
  1. They are metabolically limited and thereby rely heavily on support cells
  2. They are terminally differentiated and do not divide, which affects the efficacy of repair
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15
Q

Describe a typical cell of the cerebellum (Purkinje cell).

A

Tiny cell body and millions of dendrites

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16
Q

What does a pyramidal cell (the main cell of the cerebral cortex) look like?

A

There are a countable amount of dendrites

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17
Q

T/F: There is a function-structure relationship when it comes to neurons.

A

True.

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18
Q

What are the 3 components of neuronal cytoskeletons?

A
  1. Actin
  2. Intermediate filaments
  3. Microtubules (of tubulin)
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19
Q

What does the actin component confer to neuronal structure?

A

Dynamic assembly/disassembly allows shape changes and movement (e.g. spines and growth cones)
Part of the process of neural plasticity

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20
Q

What does the intermediate filament component confer to neuronal structure?

A

These are permanent structures that keep the neuron cytoplasmic space open

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21
Q

What does the microtubule component confer to neuronal structure?

A

These are dynamic structures that facilitate axon transport of nutrients and other neuronal components (proteins, NT vesicles etc.)

22
Q

What is the metabolic centre/’heart’ of the neuron called?

A

Soma

23
Q

What are the two kinds of processes from neurons?

A
  1. Dendrites
    • Receive information from other neurons
    • Input to the neuron
  2. Axon
    • Main conducting unit for carrying signals to other neurons
    • Output to other neurons
24
Q

T/F: The bulk of the volume of neurons is the cell body.

A

False. The bulk of the volume is made up by the processes (axons and dendrites)

25
Q

Where does damage along neurons most commonly occur?

A

The axon (because they are generally quite long c.f. the cell body)

26
Q

Are dendrites the sites of input or output?

A

Input. Axons are responsible for output.

27
Q

Are axons the sites of input or output?

A

Output. Dendrites are responsible for receiving input.

28
Q

What is the region called where neurons communicate?

A

The synapse

29
Q

Why do neurons have such a high level of protein production?

A

They need to create ion channels, receptors and the cytoskeleton to maintain their function

30
Q

Name 3 important types of glia.

A
  1. Astrocytes
  2. Oligodendrocytes
  3. Schwann cells
31
Q

What are the passive functions (6) of astrocytes?

A

o Neurotransmitter uptake and degradation
o K+ homeostasis
• Astrocytes remove K+ from the outside of the cell to prevent continual excitement of neurons
o Neuronal energy supply via metabolism/transport of metabolites
o Maintenance of the BBB
o Form myelin sheath around axons
o Injury response and recovery
• Astrocytes encapsulate neural lesions to protect other parts of the brain

32
Q

What are the active functions (2) of astrocytes

A
  • Modulation of neuronal function (by taking up calcium and preventing exocytosis of NTs from neurons)
  • Modulation of blood flow
33
Q

What form do to the major neurotransmitters of the brain come in?

A

Amino acids.

The most common examples are glutamate (excitatory) and GABA (inhibitory)

34
Q

What expresses glutamate transporters and what happens to the glutamate?

A

Glial cells express glutamate transporters
o Glutamate is degraded into glutamine (similarly for GABA)
o Glutamine is recycled back into the neurons for creation of glutamate (and GABA)

35
Q

What are the triggers for increased intracellular calcium levels in glia?

A

o Neurotransmitters such as ATP, glutamate
o Trauma
o Spontaneous
o Inflammatory mediators

36
Q

T/F. Glia exocytose neurotransmitters as well.

A

True! Glia do this at much lower rates than neurons however, but it is important for inter-glia communication and modulation of neuronal activity

37
Q

How exactly does the glial calcium wave modulate neuronal function?

A

Glia take up calcium upon receiving certain triggers and these reduce the amount of extracellular calcium available for neurons to exocytose NT and it also hyperpolarises neurons (by ion motion down electrochemical/concentration gradients)

38
Q

What effect does calcium waves in astrocytes have on vasculature?

A

Vasodilation and vasoconstriction

This helps in matching blood supply to neuronal activity

39
Q

What is the predominant cell of white matter?

A

Oligodendrocytes

40
Q

What is the PNS equivalent of oligodendrocytes?

A

Schwann cells

41
Q

What do oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells do?

A

They form myelin sheaths around neuronal axons

42
Q

How do myelin sheaths work?

A

They insulate neuronal axons and effectively speed up conduction

43
Q

What are in the ways in which one may speed up neuronal messaging?

A
  1. Myelination
  2. Wider axonal diameter
  3. Wider spaced Nodes of Ranvier (within functional capability)
44
Q

What is the difference between an oligodendrocyte and a Schwann cell

A

Oligodendrocytes wrap multiple axons; Schwann cells will only wrap one axon at a time

45
Q

How do Nodes of Ranvier work?

A

Action potential jump between Nodes of Ranvier where ion channels can access the interstitium, thereby facilitating faster motion of action potentials

46
Q

What proportion of the brain is formed by microglia?

A

5 - 20% (murine model)

47
Q

How do microglia work?

A

They function as macrophages, constantly surveying the surrounding neural tissue. If there is cellular injury or foreign material, they very quickly activate to clear up the offensive components

48
Q

Describe the structure of a peripheral nerve.

A

Contain nerve fibres composed of one or more bundles (fascicles) or nerve fibres.
Each fascicle is surrounded by collagenous tissue called perineurium.
If there is more than one fascicle, then there is a further layer of collagenous tissue called epineurium.
Nerve fibres can be sensory, motor or mixed.
Within each fascicle, each nerve fibre and Schwann cell is surrounded by loose vascular supporting tissue called endoneurium.

49
Q

What is a ganglia?

A

An aggregation of cell bodies of neurons outside the CNS that have a specific function

50
Q

Describe the 2 types of ganglia.

A

Two types: sensory and autonomic ganglia

oSensory: house the cell bodies of sensory neurons (e.g. dorsal root ganglia)
E.g. touch is sensed in the periphery → signal is sent to the DRG outside of the spinal cord → signal enters the spinal cord to be modulated

o Autonomic ganglia house the cell body of post-ganglionic neurons. Mostly found around the gut and drive peristalsis

Both Contain cell bodies; nerve fibres and satellite cells (supporting cells in the ganglia)

Reuben's Neuroscience (10 decks)

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