Neuroscience- 1 Flashcards
Basic bio review (38 cards)
The human nervous system comprises two kinds of cells
Neurons
Glia
The human brain contains approximately \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ individual neurons. \_\_\_\_ in cerebral cortex. \_\_\_\_ in cerebellum. \_\_\_\_spina cord.
- 100 billion
- 12-15 billion
- 70 billion
- 1 billion
Santiago Ramón y Cajal
In the late 1800s, the Spanish investigator Santiago Ramon y Cajal (1852-1934) was the first to demonstrate that the individual cells comprising the nervous system remained separate
àHe showed that they did not merge into each other (as previously believed)
The Structures of an Animal Cell
– Membrane – Nucleus – Mitochondria – Ribosomes – Endoplasmic reticulum
Membrane
separates the inside of the cell from the outside environment
Nucleus
contains the chromosomes (DNA)
Mitochondrion
performs metabolic activities and
provides energy
that the cells require
-requires fuel & oxygen to function
Ribosomes
sites at which the cell synthesizes new protein molecules
Endoplasmic reticulum
network of thin tubes that transports newly synthesized proteins to their
location
*-ribosomes may be attached to ER
Components of Most Neurons
- Dendrites
- Soma (cell body)
- Axon
- Presynaptic terminals
Dendrites- 3 points
Branching fibers with a surface lined with synaptic receptors: responsible for bringing information into the neuron
• Some also contain dendritic spines that further branch out and increase the surface area of the dendrite
The greater the surface area of the dendrite, the more information it can receive
Cell Body/Soma- 3 points
.Contains the nucleus, mitochondria, and ribosomes
• Responsible for most of the metabolic work of the neuron (energy production)
• Covered with receptors (synapses) on its surface (in
many
neurons)
Axons- 3 points
-Thin fiber(s) of a neuron responsible for transmitting nerve impulses to other neurons, organs, or muscles.
• May have a myelin sheath, an insulating material that contains interruptions in the sheath known as nodes of Ranvier
• Presynaptic terminals (at the end points of an axon) release chemicals (neurotransmitter (NT))
to communicate with other neurons
Types of Signaling- 3
Affervent, Effervent, Interneurons or intrinsic
Interneurons or intrinsic
neurons are those whose dendrites and axons are completely contained within a single structure
Affervent
SENSORY- conducting or conducted inward or toward something (for nerves, the central nervous system; for blood vessels, the organ supplied).
Effervent
MOTOR-conducted or conducting outward or away from something (for nerves, the central nervous system; for blood vessels, the organ supplied).
“efferent neurons carry impulses outwards to the effector organs”
Variations Among Neurons
The function is closely related to the shape
of a neuron
– Example: Purkinje cells of the cerebellum branch extremely widely within a single plane
The Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)
• Surrounds the brain and blocks most chemicals from entering
– The immune system destroys damaged or infected cells throughout the body
(cells can regenerate)
– Because neurons in the brain
generally do not regenerate, it is vitally important for the BBB to block incoming viruses, bacteria, or other harmful material from entering
Active Transport
The protein-mediated process that expends energy to pump chemicals from the blood into the brain
– Glucose, certain hormones, amino acids, and a few vitamins are brought into the brain via active transport
Astrocytes - 5 points
Type of Glia - Branches surround axon terminals • Absorbs released NTs • Temporarilyinhibits connected axons • Ceasesinhibition • Axons respond again in synchrony
Microglia- 2 points
– Remove waste material, viruses, and fungi from the brain (immune response)
– Account for 10-15% of all cells found within the brain (20% of glial cells)
Oligodendrocytes- 2 points
-in the brain and spinal cord) and Schwann cells (in the periphery of the body)
– build the myelin sheath that surrounds and insulates certain vertebrate
axons
Radial glia- 2 points
– Guide the migration of neurons and the growth of their axons and dendrites during embryonic development
– When embryonic development finishes, most radial glia differentiate into neurons and a smaller number differentiate into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes