Histology of Nervous Tissue

• Neuroglia
• Neurons
• Myelination
 Nervous Tissue: Support Cells
• Support cells in the Central Nervous System
(CNS) are grouped together as neuroglia
• Neuroglia literally means “nerve glue”
• The function of neuroglia is to support,
insulate, and protect the delicate neurons of
the brain
 Types of
Neuroglia in
CNS
• Astrocytes
– Star-shaped cells
– Half of all brain tissue
– Brace neurons; they keep the neurons in contact
with their blood supply (capillaries)
– Control the chemical environment of
the brain by mopping up leaked ions
 Types of
Neuroglia in
CNS

• Microglia
– Spiderlike phagocytes (white blood cells)
– Dispose of debris like dead brains cells and
bacteria
 Types of Neuroglia in CNS
• Ependymal cells
– Lines the cavities of the brain and spinal cord
– Circulate cerebrospinal fluid by beating their cilia
– Cerebrospinal fluid fills the space the brain does not
take up and forms a protective cushion around the
brain and spinal chord
 Types of
Neuroglia in
CNS
• Oligodendrocytes
– Wrap around nerve cells in the brain and
spinal chord
– Produce myelin sheaths
– Myelin is a fatty, insulation covering the nerve
cells; allows for the electrical signal to transmit
faster (like wire coating)
Myelin
 Types of Neurolgia in PNS
• Satellite cells
– Protects neuron cell bodies which is where the nucleus
of the cell if found
• Schwann cells
– Form myelin sheath in the peripheral nervous system
(nerves of the body; not nerves of the CNS)
 So what’s a Neuron?

• Neurons = nerve cells

– Cells specialized to transmit messages
– Major regions of neurons
• Cell body — nucleus and metabolic center of the cell
(main part of nerve cell)
• Processes — fibers that extend from the cell body
– can be microscopic or up to 3-4 feet in length
Anatomy of a
Neuron
 Anatomy of a Neuron
• Cell body
– Nucleus
– Large nucleolus
• Processes outside the cell body
– Dendrites — conduct impulses toward the
cell body
– Axons — conduct impulses away from the
cell body
 Anatomy of a Neuron
• Axons end in axonal terminals
• Axonal terminals contain small sacs with neurotransmitters
(chemicals)
• Axonal terminals are separated from the next neuron by a gap (they
never really touch)
– Synaptic cleft — gap (space) between adjacent neurons
– Synapse — junction between nerves
 Anatomy of a Neuron
• Myelin sheath — whitish, fatty material
covering axons
– protects/insulates the cells and increases the
transmission rate of nerve impulses
• Schwann cells — produce myelin
• Nodes of Ranvier — gaps in myelin sheath
along the axon
 Multiple
Sclerosis
• MS affects the ability of
nerve cells in the brain
and spinal cord to
communicate with each
other.

• In MS, the body's own

immune system attacks
and damages the
myelin
How to calculate body surface area
Bone histology:
 Bone:
• Most hard of all connective tissue
• Composed of cells and extracellular matrix
 Bone cells:
• 1.osteoblasts: bone forming cells which synthesize
• Un mineralized bone matrix called osteoid
• Alkaline phosphatase( that cause mineralization)
• Cells posses cytoplasmic processes that attach with
other cells
• 2.Osteocytes:mature bone cells, derived from osteoblasts
• Flattened cells
• Lie with in small cavities called lacunae which connect with
adjacent lacunae to form canaliculi
• Cytoplasmic processes extend into canaliculi and make
contact with others
• Canaliculi don’t fill the space. Narrow spaces are present
which are filled with extracellular matrix(bone fluid)
• 3.bone resorbing cells: osteoclasts: multinucleated giant cells
• Found in surfaces, located in shallow grooves called Howship’s lacunae
• Possess fine microvilli which form a ruffled border
• Surrounding a ruffled border is a cytoplasmic zone called clear zone(no
cells), containing actin filaments which join osteoclast to bone surface
• Sub osteoclastic compartment formed between ruffled border and bone
undergoing resorption
• The cells secrete acids and enzymes in compartment.
• Acids: dissolve mineral
• Enzyme: destroy organic matrix.
 Bone matrix:
Consist of :
1.inorganic component: 65% dry weight
Calcium phosphate main component
2.organic component:
35% dry weight
Collagen and amorphous ground substance
 Microscopic structure of bone:
• Bone matrix is arranged as layers: lamellae
• Collagen of one lamella run parallel, thus making
90 angle with other lamella
• Lacunae containing osteocyte present between
lamellae
• In compact bone, neurovacular bundles traverse
the bone in longitudnal channels called Haversian
canals around which lamellae are present
• From periosteal or endosteal surface channels
known as Volkman’s canals pierce at right angle
and communicate with Haversian canals
 Haversian system:
• Lamellae around haversian canals are called
Haversian lamellae
• Lamellae along with haversian canal makes
the Haversian system/osteon : structural unit
of bone
 Lamellae of bone:
• Haversian lamella
• Interstitial lamellae
• Outer circumferential
• Inner circumferential
 Periosteum:
• Thick fibrous sheath which covers the bone
except articular surfaces
• 2 layers:
• Outer fibrous: dense irregular connective
tissue+ vessels
• Inner cellular: loosely arranged connective
tissue+ osteoblast
 Endosteum:
• Thin layer of connective tissue that lines the
medullary cavity and extends into canal
system of bone
• Contain:
• Reticular cells
• Reticular fibers
• osteoclasts
Muscular tissue
 Muscle Tissue
• Muscular tissue have property of contraction
• Cells of muscle tissue are elongated-Muscle fiber
• Specialized contractile element- myofibrils
• Plasma membrane= plasmalemma=sarcolemma
• Cytoplasm= sarcoplasm
• Endoplasmic reticulum- sacrcoplasmic reticulum
• Mitochondia= sarcosomes
 Skeletal muscle
• Muscle fibers are grouped into bundles called
fasciculi
• Endomysium= around individual muscle fiber
• Perimysium= around muscle fasciculus
• Epimysium= around whole muscle
Skeletal muscle fiber
 Myofibrils
• Alternating light and dark bands
• Thread like structure called myofilaments
• Thin or actin filament
• Thick or myosin filament
• Thick filament occupy the A band, the central area of
sarcomere
• Thin filaments extend from either side of Z line
occupying the I band, these enter in between the thick
filament and interdigitate them as far as H zone
• H zone is central area of A band free of thin filaments
 Sarcoplasmic reticulum and sarcolemma
• The sarcolemma sends tubular extensions that extend
transversely into muscle cell to surround each myofibril at the
junction of A & I bands, known as T- tubules
• On side of T tubules, smooth endoplasmic reticulum shows a
dilatation or cistern called terminal cisternae
• The two terminal cisternae with a central t tubule ae called a
triad
• The sarcoplasmic reticulum stores calcium ions
• Blood supply
Large blood vessels enter the epimysium and divide
to ramify through out muscle in perimysium
Fine branches arise from perimysium arteries and
pass between muscle fibers
These give to numerous capillaries to run through
the endomysium
• Nerve supply
Large motor nerves, A single motor nerve fiber and
the muscle fibers supplied by it are collectively
referred to as motor unit
 Cardiac muscles
• Involuntary striated
• Muscle fibers long and cylindrical,
branched
• Intercalated disc binds the cell , transmit force of contraction and
provide area of low electrical resistance for rapid speed of action
potential throughout the myocardium
• Fibers have cross striation
• T tubule lie at the level of Z line
• Sarcoplasmic retinaculum does not form large terminal cisternae
• Blood supply:
More extensive supply
Extremely rich network of capillaries surrounds each muscle fiber
• Nerve supply:
sympathetic and para sympathetic nerves of autonomic nervous system
 Smooth muscle
• No striations
• Found in wall of blood vessels and
viscera
• Fibers in shape
• Ovoid nucleus located in the center
• Muscles are usually arranged in sheets
• No myofibrils, rather the myofilaments are longitudinally arranged
• Cytoplasm also contain mitochondria, a few RER, free ribosomes, small
golgi complex, glycogen granules and a few fat droplets
• Blood supply:
More extensive supply
Extremely rich network of capillaries surrounds each muscle fiber
• Nerve supply:
sympathetic and para sympathetic nerves of autonomic nervous system