Nervous Tissue

Introduction

It is widely distributed in the body

Consists of tissue which receives stimuli from both internal and
external environment
o Receptors

Receiver of various forms of energy

Contains intercommunicating cells known as neurons

Functions
1. It plays an important role in irritability and conductivity
2. Regulation of behavior and personality
3. Some are capable of transporting and secreting hormones
Division
1. Somatic portion

Derived from the embryo

Responsible for voluntary functions

2. Autonomic portion

Has an independent function

Controls involuntary actions

Neurons

Functional unit of the tissue

Usually large and complex in shape
Surrounded by a thin plasma membrane called as nerve cell body or
cyton
Found in the gray matter of the CNS
o Nuclei

Cluster or aggregates of neurons in the gray matter

Contains a cell body (perikaryon) and extensions (dendrons and axons)
o Synapses

Point of contact where they are functionally inter-related

o Function of Perikaryon

It is the portion of the cell surrounding the nucleus

and is vital for the survival of the cell

Can receive stimuli generated by other nerve cells

Supplies nourishment to the nerve cell

a. Reception of various stimuli

Performed by the dendritic zones, of the neuron

including the cell body or axon of another cell
b. Conduction

Performed by the axon

c. Synaptic transmission of signal to subsequent neuron

Occurs in the nerve terminals

Can occur inside or outside in the peripheral nervous system where
they are termed as ganglion cells
Shapes of neurons is determined by the number and arrangement of
the dendrites
They can either have long (Golgi type I neuron) or short (Golgi type II
neurons)

Types of Neurons
1. Unipolar neurons

Nerve cells having only 1 process

Rare type except during early embryonic stages

2. Bipolar neurons

3.

4.

5.
6.

Contains processes projecting from each end of the fusiform cell

body

Found in the retina, olfactory epithelia, and cochlear ganglia

Multipolar neurons
Have more than two processes but only one axon
Stellate or star shape
Includes the motor nerve cells of the ventral gray matter, and motor
nuclei of the brain stem
Pyrimidal neurons
Present in the cerebral cortex
Anaxonic neurons
Small cells in the CNS that does not possess an axon
Contains both receptor and effector regions on their dendrites

Cytoplasmic Organelles
1. Neurofibril and Microfibril

Slender, interlacing threads

It courses through the cytoplasm of the perikaryon from one

dendrite to another

Formed by bundles of neuro-filaments

2.

Nissl bodies

Chromophilic substances which appears in the cytoplasm when

stained with aniline dyes (toluidine blue, thionin, or cresyl violet)
Contains rich amounts of ribo-nucleoprotein, and RNA in the
ribosome
Found in the perikaryon and in the proximal parts of the
dendrites
Composed of clusters of endoplasmic reticulum
o Chromatolysis

Term given to the dissolution of Nissl bodies

3.

Golgi bodies

Present in al nerve cells and appears as network of irregular,

wavy strands that are coarser than the network of neurofibrils;
responsible for protein synthesis
4. Mitochondria

Numerous, and elongated

The number varies from cell to cell and in different parts of the
cell

Numerous in axon endings or terminal areas and in the region of

the nodes of Ranvier
5. Centrosome

Paired with centrioles, present only in young neurons

It does not have a function (adult)

6. Lysosome

Located near the Golgi apparatus

Associated with hydrolysis of end products of cellular
metabolism, and degradation of lipids

Large, round and centrally located

Has a single prominent nucleolus
Appears pale and vesicular (owls eye or fish eye)
o Barr bodies
Found in the female

7.

Nucleus

Cytoplasmic Inclusions

Melanin, lipid droplet, and iron in the substancia nigra of the

midbrain, globus pallidus of the nucleus lentiformis
Lipofuschin golden brown pigment which increases with
advancing age
Glycogen granules seen only in embryonal neurons and
neuroglia
Vasopressin, oxytocin, and neurophysior are found in the
neurosecretory neurons

Nerve cell processes

These are cytoplasmic extension, developed to provide conduction

pathways and provide greater surface area for contact
Two Kinds of Processes
1. Dendrites (dendrons)

Broad base, tapering gradually along its length

towards the end

Relatively short and are confined immediate vicinity

of the body

Covered with gemmules (dendritic spines)

Contains Nissl bodies, microtubules, and

neurofilaments
2. Axon (Axis cylinder)

Only one axon per cell or none at all (amacrine cells

of the retina)

The plasma membrane is called Axolemma

Arises from the elevation of the Nissl bodies called

the Axon hillock or Implantation cone attached by an
initial segment

Ganglia

Refers to the collection of nerve cells outside the gray matter (if not
outside the gray matter the aggregate is called Nucleus)
Composed of nerve cells, nerve fibers and supporting areolar
connective tissue
Each ganglia is covered by a capsule with a single layer of small
flattened cells termed as satellite cells
Classifications of Ganglia
1. Cerebrospinal Ganglia (Cranio-spinal Ganglia)

Fusiform or globular swelling located in the dorsal roots

of the spines
True neurons which are unipolar type

Contains small sized Nissl Bodies that are uniformly

distributed
Commonly referred as dendraxon
These are often called as pseudo-unipolar
Characterized nucleus as owls eye or fish eye
Supported by areolar connective tissue

2. Visceral motor ganglia

Cell bodies are small and multipolar

Capsule is less distinct than those of the cerebrospinal
ganglia and are absent when located at certain organs
Nissl bodies are intermediate in size
Presence of fish eye nucleus
No definite grouping of cells
Do not show regular arrangement of large bundles of
myelinated fibers transversing the ganglion

Nerve Fibers

Applied term to a long axon but includes all nerve cell processes
Contains one or more cellular sheath (glia or myelin = CNS and sheath
of Schwann = PNS)
Myelin Sheath

It is a white, lipid glistening substance that imparts a

whitish color of the white matter

Stained by osmium tetroxide

It is a series of concentric layers of Schwann cell plasma

membrane

Formed by surrounding the developing axon

Part of the Schwann cell

Ectodermal in origin and is essential in the
vitality of the peripheral nerve fibers
Necessary for the regeneration of axons
Not present in the CNS making the
oligodendrocytes to replace their function in
the CNS
Sheath of Schwannn or neurolemma

Sheath of flattened cells called as neurolemmal

Forms a thin sheet around the myelin which in turn

surrounds the axon

Most superficial lamella containing the nucleus