dr. Susianti, M.Sc.

GENERAL FEATURES
A. TWO CLASSES OF CELLS
1. Neuron
Receive, integrate, and transmit
electrochemical messages
2. Supporting cells
Called: NEUROGLIA/GLIAL CELL
- Structural and nutritional
- Electrical insulation
- Enhancement of impulse
NEURON AND SUPPORTING CELLS

Protoplasmic
Astrocytes

Fibrous Astrocyte

Microglia

Oligodendrocytes
 B. IMPULSE CONDUCTION

Propagated as a wave of
depolarization
In myelinated axon : Saltatory
In unmyelinated axon: Continous
 C. SYNAPSES
Neuron to target cell
Chemical synapses: Exocytosis of
neurotransmitter that cross the
narrow gap (synaptic cleft)
Electrical synapses: Ion flowing
through a gap junction-like
complex
 D. SUBSYSTEM OF THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM
According to location:
- Central nervous system
(Brain & spinal cord)
- Peripheral nervous system
(All other nerve tissue)
According to function:
- Autonomic nervous system
- Somatic nervous system
 Autonomic nervous system:
Two pathway:
- Sensory pathway
- Motor pathway
Preganglionic
Postganglionic
- Two type:
Sympatic
Parasympatic
 Somatic nervous system:
All nerve tissue except the
autonomic nervous system
 Table : Comparisons of central and peripheral nervous
systems and associated terminology

Comparison Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System

Component Brain and spinal cord Peripheral nerves, ganglia

and nerve plexuses

Term(s) for collections of Gray matter (localized groups Ganglia (V) eg. The spinal (or
nerve cell bodies of cells bodies in the gray dorsal root) ganglia and
matter are called nuclei) sympathetic chain ganglia

Term for collections of White matter Peripheral nerves

myelinated axons

Types of supporting cells Astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells and satellite

microglia and ependymal cells
present cells
Cell type that forms the Oligodendrocytes Schwann cells
myelin

None Schwann cells

Supporting cell type that
invests unmyelinated fibers
E. EMBRIONIC DEVELOPMENT
OF NERVE TISSUE
Ectoderm

Neural plate

Neural groove

Neural tube Neural crest

Differentiate
 F. AGING AND REPAIR

Mature neurons are incapable of

mitosis and difficult to repair injury
Supporting cells can divide if
stimulated by injury
 G. MENINGES

Separate the brain and spinal cord

from the bony compartments
3 connective tissue layers
- Outer: durameter
- Middle: arachnoid
- Inner: piameter
Choroid plexus
G. MENINGES
H. BLOOD BRAIN-BARRIER
The capillaries in the piamater are
relatively impermeable because:
Endotel cells lack fenestrations
by Tight Junction
Surrounded by cytoplasmic
processes of astrocytes

BARRIER
 Meninges :
Dura mater Dura meter
Arachnoid Arachnoid
Subarachnoid Pia meter
space
Arachnoid trabecules
Pia mater
Astrocyte

Perivascular
space

Nerve tissue

Blood vessel

Drawing of the meninges. The blood vessel arising from the

subarachnoid space penetrates the nerve tissue and is partly
enveloped by the pia meter.
NEURON
Pyramidal cell Purkinje cell Neuron of
(cerebral (cerebellum) optical area Diagrams of several types of
cortex) Diagrams of several types of
Central neuron
of the neuron. The morphologic
autonomic neuron. The morphologic
nervous system
characteristics of neurons are
Hypophyseal Ganglionic characteristics of neurons are
secreting neuron of the
neuron autonomic very complex. All neurons
Spinal cord
nervous system very complex. All neurons
motor shown here, except for the
neuron shown here, except for the
bipolar and pseudounipolar
bipolar and pseudounipolar
neurons. Which are not very
neurons. Which are not very
numerous in nerve tissue, are
numerous in nerve tissue, are
of the common multipolar
of the common multipolar
variety.
variety.

Bipolar neurons Pseudounipolar

neurons
A. CELL BODY
 CELL BODY

Soma, perikaryon
Synthetic and trophic center of the
neuron
Nucleus: large, central, euchromatic,
has prominent nucleolus and hetero
chromatin
 Cytoplasm:
- Contain many organelles
(mitochondria, lysosome,
centrioles)
- RER & free ribosomes
NISSL BODIES
- Golgi complex is well development
 Neurotubules (microtubules) and
bundles of neuro filaments
(intermediate filaments)
B. DENDRITES
 DENDRITES

Increase the surface for incoming

signal
The extension of the soma
Dendritic spines or gemmules
Lack golgi complex
C. AXON
AXON
Non-myelinated
Nerve Fibres
Myelinated
Nerve Fibres
 AXON
Each neuron has one axon
Have a constant diameter
A complex cell process that carries
impulses from the soma
Axoplasm (cytoplasm) contain few
organelles
Mitochondria
Neurotubules
Neurofilaments
 Axon membrane: axolemma
Terminal end bulb or terminal
bouton
Presynaptic membrane
 SUPPORTING CELLS
A. SUPPORTING CELLS OF THE
CNS
10 neuroglia cells per neuron
Generally smaller than neurons
The major supporting cells in the
CNS are:
- Macroglia - Oligodendrocytes
- Asrocytes - Microglia
- Ependymal cells
SUPPORTING CELLS OF THE CNS

Protoplasmic Astrocytes

Fibrous Astrocyte

Microglia

Oligodendrocytes
ASTROSIT
 ASTROSIT
Largest glial cells
Nuclei also largest, irregular, spheric, pale
staining, prominent nucleolus
Vascular end-feet : Component of blood brain
barrier
Protoplasmic astrocytes (mossy cells)
Gray matter
Fibrous astrocytes
White matter
OLIGODENDROGLIA / OLIGODENDROCYTES
1. Neuron 4. Protoplasmic
astrocyte

2. Oligodendrocyte
type II

5. Oligodendrocyte
type I
3. Capillary
6. Oligodendrocyte
processes
surrounding
nerve fibers
 OLIGODENDROGLIA /
OLIGODENDROCYTES

Most numerous glial cells

Found in gray and white matter
Form myelin
Nuclei is spheric
 MICROGLIA
1. Microglia 3. Neuron cell body

4. Microglia : cell
body

5. Microglial processes
showing the
2. Endothelial cell of characteristic spiny
a capillary appearance
6. Capillary

7. Erythrocytes in a
capillary
 MICROGLIA
The smallest and rarest of the glia
Found in gray and white matter
Nuclei are small and elongate (often Bean-
shaped), chromatin appear black with HE
Processes are shorter than astrocytes
Derive from mesenchyme
Same microglia have phagocytic capabilities
EPENDYMAL CELLS
 EPENDYMAL CELLS

Derive from ciliated neuron epithelial cells of

the neural tube
Line the ventricles, aqueducts of the brain
and the central canal of the spinal cord
 A. SUPPORTING CELLS OF THE
PNS

The supporting cells in the PNS are:

- Schwann Cells
- Satellite cells
SCHWANN CELLS
 SCHWANN CELLS
Envelop unmyelinated or myelinated axon
Myelin: Remaining multi layered schwann cell
plasma membrane
Nodes of Ranvier: Gap between the myelin
sheat segments
 SATELLITE CELLS
1. Myelinated
fibers and 1. Bundle of
fibroblast nerve fibers

2. Nucleus and 2. Satellite cells

nucleus of a
ganglion cell
3. Light and dark ganglion
3. Capsule cells
cells; neuroplasm with
(nuclei)
Nissl bodies
4. Intercellular
4. Fibroblasts
area
5. Lipochrome 5. Satellite cells
pigment
6. Ganglion cells
6. Satellite cells with irregular
(nuclei) outlines and
eccentric nuclei
7. Bundle of
7. Capsule cells (nuclei) nerve fibers
8. Fibroblasts
(nuclei) in the
endoneurium
Fig. 2. Section of a dorsal Fig. 3. Section of a sympathetic
root ganglion trunk ganglion
 SATELLITE CELLS

Specialized schwann cells in craniospinal and

autonomic ganglia
Nuclei are spheric with mottled chromatin
 SYNAPSES
Specialized junction where a
stimulus is transmitted from a
neuron to its target cell
Name according to the structures
they connect, eg:
- Axodendritic
- Axosomatic
- Axoaxonic
- Dendrodendritic
 3 Major component of each synapse:
- Presynaptic membrane
- Postsynaptic membrane
- Synaptic cleft
 GANGLIA
9. Ganglion cells
1. Connective tissue

2. Epineurium of 10. Nerve fibers

ganglion
11. Epineurium of
spinal nerve
3. Epineurium of
dorsal root 12. Spinal nerve

4. Perineurium
5. Dorsal root

13. Mergence of ventral

root fibers and
ganglion fibers
6. Connective tissue
7. Epineurium of 14. Nerve, vein, artery
ventral root in connective
8. Ventral root tissue

Dorsal root ganglion : panoramic view (longitudinal section)

 GANGLIA
Is peripheral clusters of neuron cell
bodies
2 type:
- Craniospinal ganglia
- Autonomic ganglia
Surround by satellite cells
Supported by schwann cells
PERIPHERAL NERVES
PERIPHERAL NERVES
 PERIPHERAL NERVES
Contain myelinated and unmyelinated
axons, schwann cells and fibroblast
No neurons body
In cross sections: Nuclei seen belong to
schwann cells or to fibroblasts
Epineurium: Surrounds each peripheral
nerve
Perineurium: Surrounds each fascicle
Endoneurium: Surrounds each nerve fiber
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CONSISTS OF:

- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Spinal cord
 CEREBRAL CORTEX
8. Pia meter
1. Molecular layer 9. Blood vessels
10. Horizontal
2. External granular cells (of Cajal)
layer of small
pyramidal cells 11.Pyramidal
cells
3. Layer of medium-
sized pyramidal
cells
4. Internal granular
layer or outer layer 12. Polymorphous
of large pyramidal cells
cells
5. Internal layer of 13.Dendrites of large
large pyramidal pyramidal cells
cells

6. Multiform layer 14.Bundles of radial

nerve fibers
15.Polymorphous
7. White matter cells
16.Myelinated fibers
of the white
matter

Section perpendicular to the cortical surface

 CEREBRAL CORTEX

4. Neuroglial
1.Pyramidal cells cells
(astrocytes)
5. Dendritic
collaterals of
pyramidal cells
6. Dendrites of
2. Intercellular areas pyramidal cells
(nerve fibers and
neuroglia)
7. Axon of a
pyramidal cell
3. Nuclei of
pyramidal cells 8. Pyramidal
cells

Central area of the cortex

 CEREBELLUM

6. Cortex : molecular
layer
1. Cerebellar 7. Cortex : granular
folium layer
8. Purkinje cells
(pyriform cells)
9. Pia meter

2. Interfolial sulcus

3. Cortex (gray
matter) 10. White matter

4. White matter

5. Cortex :
granular layer

Sectional view (transverse section)

 CEREBELLUM

1. Capillary

8. Stellate cells
2. Parallel axons of
granule cells
3. Dendrites of
purkinje cells
(pyriform cells)
4. Axons of deep 9. Purkinje cells
stellate cells
(basket cells)

5. Axon of purkinje 10. Granular layer

cells
6. Granule cells
11. Glomeruli
7. Stellate cells of (islands) in the
the granular granular layer
layer
12. Myelinated
fibers of the
white matter

Cortex
 Spinal Cord : Mid-thoracic region (Transverse section)

1. Posterior spinal vessel (vein)

2. Dorsolateral sulcus
3. Dorsolateral fasciculus (of 16. Posterior median
sulcus and septum
Lissauer)
4. Dorsal root fibers
17. Posterior intermediate
septum
5. Posterior gray horn
18. Fasciculus gracillis

19. Fasciculus cuneatus

6. Lateral white color 20. Substantia gelatinosa

7. Central canal 21. Reticular process and

8. Anterior white commissure reticular nucleus
22. Nucleus dorsalis (column
9. Pia meter of Clark
23. Lateral intermediate
column and lateral
10. Subarachnoid space sympathetic nucleus
24. Medial and lateral motor
nuclei in anterior gray horn
11. Arachnoid
25. Filaments of ventral roots
in anterior white column
12. Subdural space 26. Pia meter with blood
vessels in anterior fissure
13. Dura mater
14. Ventral root 27. Anterior median sulcus
15. anterior spinal
artery and vein
 RESPONSE TO INJURY
A. DAMAGED TO THE CELL
BODY

Mature neurons can not divide

Death of nerve cell is limitted to its
perikaryon and processes
Neuroglia, Schwann cell, and ganglionic
satellite cell are able to divide by
mitosis.
 B. DAMAGED TO THE AXON

Proximal segment: regenerates

Distal segment: degenerates
Axon injury: Chromatolysis
Neuroma