Neural Tissue 11/26/2016

Neural Tissue
Dr. Lowry

1. Neurons
a. Components
i. Cell body (soma)
1. Unmyelinated
2. Appears as grey tissue
ii. Dendrites
1. Receives signals
iii. Axon
1. Myelinated
a. Gives a white tissue appearance
2. Sends out a signal if the threshold stimulus is reached
b. Contains glial cells
i. Oligodendrocytes and Schwann Cells myelinate the axon
ii. Astrocytes work as supporting cells
2. Spinal Cord
a. Gray matter
i. Contains the neuronal cell bodies
1. Giant multipolar motorneuron cell bodies are contained here
a. Contains a prominent nucleolus and abundant euchromatin
b. Nucleus is delineated by the black arrows
c. Perikaryon (cytoplasm) is rich in clusters of rER
i. Termed Nissl Bodies/Substance
ii. Dendrites contain Nissl bodies, while axons don’t
1. Axon hillock is the tapering of the axon
2. Smaller round nuclei belong to glial cells
ii. Ventral, Dorsal, and Lateral Horns

iii. EM shows a dense nucleolus with euchromatic nucleus

1. Small dark ring shapes by the capillary are myelin sheathes

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b. White matter
i. Contains axons and long dendrites
1. Axons are myelinated
ii. Fibers are oriented cranial-caudal
1. Can only see cross section in spinal cord slide
2. Silver stain highlights axons (yellow arrows)
a. Pale regions represent myelin that was dissolved
b. Some special preparations can show myelin sheath

3. Peripheral Nerves
a. Contain axons (and sometimes long dendrites) with supporting cells
i. Surrounded by a highly cellular CT layer
ii. Neuronal cell bodies are not found here
b. Histologically, all peripheral nerves are the same
c. Individual axons are surrounded by Schwann Cells
i. During embryogenesis, Schwann cells initially surrounds several axons
1. Known as ensheathment
a. Gaps in the Schwann cell caused by invaginations of the cell
membrane (red arrows)
b. Dark-light-dark pattern can be seen
i. Axon membrane – space – Schwann cell membrane (green)
ii. Schwann cell membrane – space – external lamina (purple)
2. Smaller axons will remain ensheathed

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ii. Large axons are selected and Schwann cell will wrap around numerous
times
1. After cytoplasm is squeezed out, remaining layers are called myelin
2. Nodes of Ranvier
a. Regions of bare axon between Schwann cells
3. Cross section of axon contains organelles
a. Microtubules (red), and neurofilaments (green)

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d. In H&E, the axons stain eosinophilic

i. Most of the myelin washes out so it stains pale
ii. Neurokeratin may remain
iii. Details are lost in smaller peripheral nerves (right)
1. Pale eosinophilia
2. Wavy appearance (artifact due to elasticity)
3. Distinct perineurium on the outside
4. Numerous nuclei (mostly Schwann cells)

e. Connective tissue layers

i. Endoneurium
1. Loose CT between axons
ii. Perineurium
1. Cellular layer that bundles axons into fascicles
2. Some characteristic features of epithelium
a. Ex: occludens junctions
iii. Epineurium
1. Dense CT, often containing adipose
2. Buncles fascicles together

f. Smaller nerves are essentially a single fascicle

i. No epineurium
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4. Ganglia
a. Consists of clusters of neuronal cell bodies and supporting cells
i. Contained within a CT capsule
b. Dorsal root ganglion
i. Adjacent to the spinal cord
ii. Contains sensory neuronal cell bodies
1. Can barely see the nuclei of supporting cells
a. Satellite cells
2. Axons and dendrites are between cells
iii. Contained within a connective tissue capsule

c. Semilunar ganglia
i. Found in the cranial nerves
ii. Ex: Cranial Nerve V
d. Parasympathetic Ganglia
i. Found near the effector organ
e. Sympathetic Ganglia
i. Found in the sympathetic chain

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