Nervous tissues = neurons (soma/perikaryon) +

microglia
Neurons = Cell body (soma/perikaryon) + processes
(dendrites and axons)

Cell body
Location in CNS-gray matter, in PNS-ganglia
1. Axon hillock- a cone shaped region where axon arises
2. Large nucleus with prominent nucleolus
3. Abundant RER and ribosomes Nissl bodies - extend into dendrites but not into axon
hillock or axon
4. Numerous mitochondria
5. Large golgi apparatus
6. Cytoskeleton neurofilament, microtubules to provide structural and intracellular support
Dendrites
Arises from cell body and branches,
unmyelinated
Receive stimuli from other neurons or
external environment (sensory receptor) and
carry information (nerve impulses) to the cell
body
Axons
Aka nerve fibre, a neuron has one axon, most
are long and arise from cell body via axon
hillock
Myelinated or unmyelinated, transmit
information away from cell body to another
neuron or effector cell
Initial segment initial unmyelinated part of axon between the axon hillock and beginning of
myelin sheath, site which action potential is generated
Collateral branches arising at right angle from axon, end by dividing into small branches (terminal
arbor=telodendria), at the end of terminal arbor is axon terminal button/bouton (button-like
swelling)

Classification
of neurons

Functional
classification

sensory neuron - receive

stimuli from receptors and
conduct nerve impulses to the
CNS
motor neuron - originates from
CNS and conduct nerve
impulses to other
neurons/effector cells

Synapse sites where nerve impulses are transmitted from presynaptic cell
(neuron) to a postsynaptic cell (another neuron/muscle cell/cell of gland)
Classification
Axodendritic (axon and dendrites)
Axosomatic (axon and cell body)
Axoaxonic (axon and axon)
Components
Presynaptic membrane axon terminal/terminal button, contains synaptic
vesicles contain neurotransmitters
Synaptic cleft narrow space between presynaptic membrane and
postsynaptic membrane
Postsynaptic membrane part of plasma membrane of postsynaptic cell,
contains receptors which neurotransmitters bind to

interneurons - located in CNS,

form a communicative network
between sensory and motor
neurons

Morphological
classification

Based on number of processes

extending from cell body
multipolar neuron - most
common, many processes (1
axon, >1 dendrites), motor,
interneurons, pyramidal and
purkinje cells
bipolar neuron - not common, 2
processes (1 axon, 1 dendrites),
found in special sensory organs retina of eyes and olfactory
epithelium
pseudo-unipolar neuron - has
only 1 process and divides into 2
processes (central and peripheral
processes), sensory neurons
which cell bodies located in
sensory ganglia of cranial and
spinal nerves (dorsal root ganglia)

Peripheral neuroglia
Neuroglia
Schwann cells produce myelin sheath in PNS, 1
forms myelin around 1 segment of 1 axon, thus 1
axon is covered by multiple Schwann cells
Satellite cells small cuboidal cells, surrounds
cell bodies of neurons in ganglia in PNS, forms
layer around cell bodies

Perivascular
feet

Central neuroglia
Astrocytes largest neuroglial cell, stellate in shape with numerous
long processes, to provide physical and nutritional support for
neurons. Two types: protoplasmic astrocytes in gray matter and
fibrous astrocytes in white matter.
-some have foot processes called subpial feet which form glial limiting
membrane (glial limitans) between the pia mater and the brain
forming barrier surrounding CNS
-some have foot processes called perivascular feet that cover
capillaries and help to maintain blood-brain barrier, control the
transfer of substances from blood to neurons
Oligodendrocytes to produce and maintain myelin in CNS, most
numerous glial cells in white matter with few processes compared to
astrocytes

Microglia smallest neuroglia with dark, elongated nuclei, short processes

and phagocytic cells, part of mononuclear phagocytotic system, remove
bacteria and injured cells
Ependymal cells cuboidal to columnar cells, 1 layer of cells lining
ventricles of brain and central canal of spinal cord, apical surface has cilia
(facilitate movement of CSF) and microvilli (absorbing CSF)
- some in the ventricles of brain are modified together with the adjacent
capillaries form the choroid plexus that secrete the CSF

Axon

Process by which an axon is wrapped

with a myelin sheath

myelination

Myelination in PNS

Myelination in CNS

-performed by oligodendrocytes
-performed by Schwann cells
A Schwann cell envelops a segment of an axon,
it wraps itself around the axon of >50 times
result in enveloping the axon in many concentric
layers of Schwann cell cytplasm and plasma
membrane
As wrapping continues, cytoplasm between the
concentric layers of plasma membrane is
squeezed out into the cell body of Schwann cell
(outermost parts), the overlapping concentric
layers of plasma membrane forms the myelin
sheath thus, myelin sheath actually composed
of many concentric layers of plasma membrane
of Schwann cell
small amounts of remnants of Schwann cell
cytoplasm trapped within the layers of myelin Schmidt Lanterman cleft

-oligodendrocytes have many cytoplasmic

processes that extend towards each axons, each
process envelops and wraps itself around a
segment of an axon, thus 1 olidendrocyte can
myelinate >1 axon
Clinical correlation
Demyelinating disease- myelin sheath is damaged in this disease, will
slow down/block nerve conduction, symptoms= muscle paralysis, loss
of cutaneous sensation (Guillain Barre Syndrome, multiple sclerosis)
Unmyelinated axons axons not wrapped with myelin sheath, several
axons longitudinally invaginated by Schwann cell, unmyelinated axons
are surrounded by only one layer of Schwann cell plasma membrane
and cytoplasm, several unmyelinated axons may be enveloped by a
single Schwann cell
Node of Ranvier segment of myelin formed is called intermodal
segment of myelin, narrow gaps between them=nodes of Ranvier
where axons is not covered by the myelin sheath and expose to
extracellular space

CNS is made up of gray matter and white matter

Gray matter = most are cell bodies (neurons+neuroglial cells), less
processes of dendrites and parts of axons and neurons, neuroglial cells
processes
White matter = majority of processes (mostly myelinated axons and
neuroglial cell processes) with a few cell bodies of neuroglial cells

Gray matter
- contains many cell bodies of neurons, dendrites of neurons, beginnings and
endings of axons of neurons (very little myelinated axons) and neuroglial cells
and its processes (gray due to many cell bodies of neurons)
- Background between the cell
bodies is called neuropil which
consists of

Neuronal processes (axons

and dendrites
Neuroglial processes

White matter

Consists mostly axons myelinated and unmyelinated, mostly

myelinated
Neuroglial cells, less cells compared to gray matter, only has
neuroglial cells with small, round nuclei, cytoplasm is not evident
White colour due to lipid in myelin sheaths surround the axons
Does not contain the neuronal cell bodies

Gray matters
Cerebral cortex gray matter on the surface of cerebrum
Basal ganglia masses of gray matter situated deep in the cerebrum, surround by the white matter
White matter deep to the cerebral cortex, made up of axons and neuroglial cells, axons can be
myelinated or unmyelinated, mostly are myelinated, three types of axons: commissural, association,
projection fibres

5 types of neurons

Pyramidal cell
Fusiform cell
Stellate cell (granule cell)
Horizontal cell
Martinotti cell

2 categories

Principal neurons their axons leave cerebral cortex, pyramidal and Fusiform cell
Interneurons their axons do not leave the cerebral cortex, the rest of neurons

Pyramidal cell

Most abundant, main principal neuron in

cerebral cortex, has pyramid shape cell bodies
Axons leave the cerebral cortex and enter
white matter to form commissural,
association and projection fibres

Cells layers of cerebral cortex

-divided into 6 layers based on most cell type present, no clear cut borders between each
layers
Layer I: The Molecular Layer
-most superficial layer
-contains mostly dendrites and axons of neurons, not many cells, horizontal and neuroglial cells
-large numbers of synapses between neurons occur here
Layer II: The External Granular Layer
-mostly stellate cells, pyramidal cells and interneurons made up of Martinotti cells and
neuroglial cells
-the axons of pyramidal cells extend to enter the white matter
Layer III: The External Pyramidal Layer
-mostly pyramidal cells, interneurons of stellate and Martinotti cells, neuroglial cells
-the axons of pyramidal cells extend to enter the white matter
Layer IV: The Internal Granular Layer
-mostly stellate cells, pyramidal cells, other interneurons are Martinotti cells and neuroglial
cells
-main afferent (input) station
-also called input layer
-thickest in the primary sensory areas
Layer V: The Internal Pyramidal Layer
-mostly pyramidal cells, interneurons of stellate cells and Martinotti cells, neuroglial cells
-most efferent (output) fibers from pyramidal cells, contribute to corticospinal and
corticonuclaer tracts
-also called output layer
-thickest in the motor areas
Layer VI: The Multiform Layer
-mainly fusiform cells, pyramidal cells, interneurons of stellate and Martinotti cells and
neuroglial cells
-deepest layer
-deep to it is the white matter, no clear cut demarcation between the layer VI and the white
matter

Cerebellum
Gray matter form
Cerebellar cortex gray matter on the surface of cerebellum
Deep cerebellar nuclei masses of gray matter situated deep in the cerebellum and is
surrounded by the white matter
White matter deep to the cerebral cortex and similar to cerebral white matter,
contains densely packed axons (mostly myelinated) and neuroglial cells, do not
contain the cell bodies

Neurons in cerebellar cortex 5 types

Purkinje cell
Stellate cell
Basket cell
Granule cell
Golgi cell
2 categories
Principle neurons axons leave the cerebellar cortex, Purkinje cell
Interneurons axons do not leave the cortex, stellate, basket,
granule and golgi cells

Division of cerebellar cortex 3 layers

Molecular layer- outermost layer, contains mostly dendrites and axons with a few neurons (stellate cells
and basket cells)
The Purkinje cell layer purkinje cells have very large cell bodies in flask shaped, arranged in single layer,
its axon passes through granular layer to enter white matter and synapse in deep cerebellar nuclei
The granular layer- deepest layer, consists of granule cells which are the most abundant and densely
packed and also Golgi cells

Gray matter lies in the centre of spinal cord, H or butterfly in shape,

volume is greatest in cervical and lumbosacral enlargement due to
innervations of upper and lower limbs (sensory and motor innervations of
limbs)
- divided into 4 parts
Anterior gray horn contains large cell bodies of neurons, axons of motor
neurons exit the spinal cord by passing through the white matter and enter
the anterior root of spinal cord, motor neurons have large, spherical, pale
staining nuclei with densely stained nucleolus, cytoplasm is dark staining
due to Nissl bodies corresponds to RER
Posterior gray horn cell bodies of 2nd order sensory neurons of
anterolateral system and interneurons
Lateral gray horn cell bodies of preganglionic sympathetic neurons, at
thoracic, upper lumbar spinal cord segments (T1-L2)
Intermediate zone gray commissure and central canal which contains
CSF, lined by Ependymal cells which are ciliated to facilitate the circulation
of CSF
White matter located at periphery, contains bundle of axons, mostly
myelinated and form ascending and descending motor tracts
-amount largest in cervical spinal cord segment, smallest in sacral spinal
cord segment, amount increases from sacral to cervical as sensory fibres
are added to each level, decreases from cervical to sacral because motor
fibres leave spinal cord