Nervous System Flashcards
(32 cards)
nervous system
the network of nerve cells and fibers that transmits nerve impulses between parts of the body.
sensory input
stimuli that is perceived by our senses like smell, sight, touch, taste, and hearing
integration
the action or process of integrating
central nervous system
the complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body.
peripheral nervous system
the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
somatic nervous system
the part of the peripheral nervous system associated with skeletal muscle voluntary control of body movements
autonomic nervous system
the part of the nervous system responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes.
neuroglia
non-neuronal cells that maintain homeostasis, form myelin, and provide support and protection for neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
astrocytes
are characteristic star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord.
microglia
glial cells derived from mesoderm that function as macrophages (scavengers) in the central nervous system and form part of the reticuloendothelial system.
ependymal cells
These cells line the CSF-filled ventricles in the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord.
oligodendrocytes
the myelinating cells of the central nervous system
Schwann cells
any of the cells in the peripheral nervous system that produce the myelin sheath around neuronal axons.
satellite cells
are precursors to skeletal muscle cells, able to give rise to satellite cells or differentiated skeletal muscle cells
neurons
a specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.
dendrites
a short branched extension of a nerve cell, along which impulses received from other cells at synapses are transmitted to the cell body.
axons
the long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.
axon hillock
s a specialized part of the cell body (or soma) of a neuron that connects to the axon
axon terminals
are separated from neighboring neurons by a small gap called a synapse, across which impulses are sent.
myelin
a mixture of proteins and phospholipids forming a whitish insulating sheath around many nerve fibers, increasing the speed at which impulses are conducted.
nodes of Ranvier
a gap in the myelin sheath of a nerve, between adjacent Schwann cells.
depolarization
loss of the difference in charge between the inside and outside of the plasma membrane of a muscle or nerve cell due to a change in permeability and migration of sodium ions to the interior
action potential
caused when different ions cross the neuron membrane
repolarization
refers to the change in membrane potential that returns it to a negative value just after the depolarization phase of an action potential has changed the membrane potential to a positive value.
