Chapter 9 nervous tissue
Nervous tissue
The nervous tissue is ectodermal in origin and develops from the neural tube
and neural crest.
Anatomically: the nervous system is divided into:
A- Central nervous system [C.N.S.] consisting of the:
1-Brain inside the cranial cavity of the skull.
2-Spinal cord inside the vertebral column.
B- Peripheral nervous system [P.N.S.] consists of:
1- Nerves.
2- Nerve ganglia (small aggregates of nerve cells).
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tk 3- Nerve endings
Structurally:
Nervous tissue consists of two types of cells:
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1- Nerve cells (Neurons): The human nervous system contains more than
100 millions of nerve cells (neurons).
2- Glial cells (neuroglia): They support and protect neurons as well as
participate in neural activity, neural nutrition and defense mechanism of
the C.N.S.
NEURONS
The neuron is the structural and functional unit of the nervous tissue.
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Functions of the neurons:
1- Reception, transmission and processing of stimuli.
2- Triggering of certain cell activities.
3- Release of neurotransmitters and other informational molecules.
Neurons consist of 3 parts:(Fig.9-1)
1- Cell body (perikaryon)
2-Dendrites
3- Axon
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
Classification of Neurons
A) According to the number of processes that arise from the
nerve cell body (Fig.9-2), neurons are classified into:
1- Pseudo-unipolar nerve cell: The cell body has one process which soon
divides into two branches (axon and dendrites).
eg spinal ganglia
2- Bipolar nerve cell which has two processes. One arises from each pole e.g.
MEET a
bipolar neurons of retina & olfactory mucosa.
3- Multipolar nerve cell: which have many short dendrites, and single long
axon. This type of neurons can be subclassified according to the shape of
the cell body into three categories:
eg ganglia
sympathetic
a) Polygonal nerve cells: They are the most common type of nerve cells.
b) Pyriform nerve cells: The cell body is pear shaped e.g. Purkinje cells in
I of
the cerebellum. Cortex cerebellum
c) Pyramidal nerve cells: The cell body is pyramidal in shape e.g. cells of
the cerebral cortex.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
Structure of the Neuron
I-Cell body (perikaryon): (Fig.9-4)
-Definition: It is the part of the neuron that contains the cytoplasm and
nucleus.
-Site: Perikaryons are present only in gray matter of C.N.S and ganglia
in P.N.S.
-Size: Cell bodies are extremely variable in size. Some of them are very large
measuring up to 150 um in diameter e.g. pyramidal cells of cerebral cortex
and others are small (4-5 um in diameter) e.g. cell bodies of granule cells of
the cerebellum.
-Shape: the cell body may be rounded, oval or angular.
-Structure: the perikaryon is surrounded by very thin cell membrane.
Nucleus: It is single, spherical, large and central with fine dispersed
euchromatin and prominent nucleolus (open face nucleus).
Cytoplasm: It is mildly basophilic containing most of the cell organelles and
inclusions.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
1) Nissl's Bodies or Nissl 's Granules :
L/M: the cytoplasm contains large basophilic granules with spotty
distribution called Nissl's Granules.
EM: they consist of highly developed rER arranged in parallel cisternae
with free ribosomes and polyribosomes in between. This indicates that
perikaryon synthesizes both structural proteins and proteins for
transport.
Nissl,s granules are scattered in the perikaryon and extend into the
dendrites but not in the axon.
After injury or exhaustion of the nerve cell Nissl,s Granules disappear
poring2) ThedueGolgito their breaking down and this is called (chromatolysis).
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complex: consists of multiple stacks around the nucleus. It can
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be demonstrated by L/M using silver stain.
3) Mitochondria: are scattered in the cytoplasm of all parts of the neuron.
They are abundant in the axon terminals.
4) Lysosomes: are present in the form of 1ry lysosomes, secondary lysosomes
and residual bodies.
5) Microtubules: are present in perikaryon and cell processes. Their function
is supportive (maintain the shape of the neuron) and share in transport of
impulses.
6) Neurofilaments (intermediate filaments): They are abundant in perikaryon
and in cell processes and can be stained with silver.
7) No centrosome is present in mature nerve cell.
8) Cell inclusions:
Stored food as lipid and glycogen granules.
Pigments as lipofuscin pigments in old nerve cells and melanin
Mthatha
pigments in nerve cells of the substantia nigra of the midbrain.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
Function: It is the trophic center of the neuron and also has receptive
function.
II-Dendrites:
Dendrites:
Dendrites are usually multiple and short.
They divide like the branches of a tree and become thinner as they
subdivide into smaller branches.
The branches are profuse, tapering and originate at acute angles to the
main stem.
The cytoplasm that extends into the dendrites contains mitochondria,
Nissl's bodies, neurofilaments and microtubules but is devoid of Golgi
complexes.
They increase the receptive area of the cell to stimuli.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
They carry impulses to the cell body.
Axon:
Axon arises from the perikaryon by a conical area known as axon hillock
which is devoid of Nissl,s granules.
It is always single, long and cylindrical with a constant regular diameter.
It does not branch except terminally by giving terminal arborizations in
PNS.
The plasma membrane of the axon is called the "axolemma" and its
cytoplasm is known as "axoplasm".
The axoplasm contains mitochondria, microtubules, neurofilaments and
some cisternae of SER.
It is devoid of RER, ribosomes (no Nissl,s bodies) and Golgi apparatus.
The axons carry the nerve impulses from the cell bodies (centrifugal).
Nerve Fibers
- A nerve fiber consists of an axon enveloped by a special sheath.
- This nerve fiber may be covered by one or two sheaths;
A) Cellular sheath (neurolemmal sheath): -
It is a cellular tube that surrounds the axon outer to the myelin sheath
(if present).
Cellular sheath is formed by Schwann's cells that is surrounded by basal
lamina and contains central flattened nucleus.
Functions of neurolemmal sheath:
Formation of myelin sheath.
It is important for regeneration of the nerve fibers after trauma.
Phagocytosis of the cellular debris and myelin after nerve injuries.
B) Myelin Sheath:
It is an interrupted fatty tube that directly surrounds axons.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
It is composed of a lipoprotein complex and appears white in the fresh
state.
It is formed by Schwann's cells in PNS. and formed by Oligodendrocytes
in CNS.
The Functions of myelin sheath are:
-Help in rapid conduction of nerve impulses
-Insulation of nerve impulses.
-Groups of nerve fibers constitute the followings:
i- Peripheral nerves in PNS.
I-Myelinated fibers in P.N.S: Fig.9-6&Fig.9-7
The myelin sheath shows gaps along its path called nodes of Ranvier.
The distance between two nodes is called internode segment and consists
of one Schwann cell.
- Myelin sheath dissolves during preparations and staining of Hx&E section
so, the nerve fibers appear acidophilic surrounded by unstained area (myelin)
and thin band of neurolemmal sheath (Schwann's cell with its nucleus).
In sections stained with osmic acid myelin sheath is stained black.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
The Nerve Trunk (Fig.9-8)
Nerve trunk is formed of longitudinal arranged parallel nerve fibers
grouped in bundles .
Nerve trunk has an external sheath of dense C.T called epineurium.
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Chapter 9 nervous tissue
Each bundle is surrounded by dense connective tissue coat called
perineurium, plays a protective role to the nerve fibers.
Each nerve fiber with its myelin sheath and Schwann's cell is enveloped by
a thin layer of reticular fibers called endoneurium.
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