NERVOUS TISSUE

EMBRYOLOGY
A. Origin – ectoderm

B. Anlage (Primordium) develops from 2 anlage:

1. Neural tubes
a. Neural cavity – central canal of spinal cord,
ventricles of the brain
b. Walls of neural tube – neurons of CNS, neuroglial
cells, except microglia
2. Neural crest – small mass of cells at lateral margin of neural
plate
a. Neurons in ganglia (sympathetic ganglia)
b. Capsule cell
c. Adrenals (chromaffin cells)
d. Melanocytes (pigment cells)
e. Schwann cell or neurolemmal sheath cells of all
peripheral nerves

DEVELOPMENT OF NERVOUS SYSTEM

 Notochord (embryonic life) induces the ectoderm to form
neuroepithelium 
 thickens, forms neural plate 
 margins continue to thicken 
 neural groove 
 edges grow towards each other and come together 
 neural tube 
 rostral/anterior part develops into brain 
 caudal part develops into spinal cord.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
 Function for regulation and integration of activities of various
organs and parts of the body
 Due to highly developed properties of irritability and
conductivity
Two Divisions:
 CNS or Neuraxis – brain, spinal cord
 PNS – all nervous elements outside the CNS
o ANS – part of the PNS that innervates the smooth,
cardiac muscles, glands
Nervous Tissue Components:
1. Nerve cell or neuron
2. Supporting cells
Neuron – the only cell type capable of generating and propagating
impulses in their processes at great speed.
Neuron Doctrine of Waldeyer states that a neuron is:
1. An anatomical and structural unit – no cytoplasmic
connection from 1 neuron to another (synapse)
2. A genetic unit – 1 mature neuron develops from 1 immature
neuroblast which retains property to divide. Mature neurons
do not divide. Neurons do not regenerate.
3. A physiological and functional unit – neuron generates and
propagates impulses
4. A trophic unit – the metabolic activities of all parts are
maintained by the nucleated portion so that any part separated
from it degenerates.

Structure of a neuron: functional unit of Nervous System

A. Nerve cell body or Soma
B. Nerve cell processes – axon, dendrites
Nerve Cell Body: 2) Neurofilaments (10 nm)
1. Shape – spherical, polygonal, angular or pyramidal 3) Microfilaments (6 nm) – actin
2. Nucleus – only 1, large, spherical or ovoid h. Centrosome – with pair of centrioles, seen only in
 Pale, centrally located neuroblast; no significance in mature neuron
 Prominent nucleolus and relatively little chromatin, i. Inclusions:
fish eye appearance  Pigment granules
 Distinct nuclear membrane, E/M,: double layered  Lipid: storage material or may occur as a
interrupted by nuclear pores result of pathologic metabolism
3. Cytoplasm (perikaryon):  Glycogen
a. Cell membrane – axolemma (extends into the axon)  Dense core vesicles with neurotransmitter
b. Neuroplasm – axoplasm (fluid part that extends to acetylcholine
axon)
c. Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) – abundant,
with many cisternae in parallel arrays, are
prominent in large motor neurons. Polyribosomes
are also scattered throughout the cytoplasm.
These cisternae and polyribosomes when stained
with basic dye appear as clumps of basophilic
material called Nissl bodies.
d. Golgi apparatus – arrange in an arc or a complete
circle around the nucleus approximately halfway
between the nucleus and surface membrane of
perikaryon.
L/M: network of irregular wavy strands coarser than
the neurofibrillary network
E/M: clusters of closely apposed flattened cisternae
arranged in stacks and surrounded by myriad of
small vesicles. Ends of cisternae are frequently
dilated, characteristic of protein secreting cells.
Role: concentrates and slightly modifies proteins CLASSIFICATION OF NEURONS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF
synthesized by granular ER. Involved in the PROCESSES:
formation of lysosomes, and neurotransmitter 1. Unipolar neuron – 1 process, axon only
substances.  Common in early embryonal stage
2. Pseudounipolar neuron – has only 1 process (dendraxon)
*Nissl bodies, golgi apparatus: for production and storage of secretions which gives out 2 branches:
indicating secretory nature of neurons. o Peripheral process that conveys impulses from skin
and other organs
e. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) – abundant, o Central process that conveys impulses away from
widely distributed, network of smooth reticulum the cell
that extends into axons and dendrites forming : makes up the dorsal root ganglion of spinal cord and
broad, flat, fenestrated hypolemmal cisternae sensory ganglia of cervical nerves
immediately beneath and parallel to the 3. Bipolar neuron – 1 axon and 1 dendrite, common in
plasmalemma of the cell body. embryonal stage;
Function: unclear, sequester calcium and contain In adults: retina, internal ear, olfactory nasal
proteins, and may provide pathway for their epithelium
distribution throughout the cell. 4. Multipolar neuron – only 1 axon, several dendrites, most
f. Mitochondria – smaller and numerous in axon common type in adults
terminal o According to morphology: pyramidal cells of
g. Neurofibrils – neuronal cytoskeleton hippocampus, Purkinje cells of cerebellum
 Extends into the dendrites and axons
E/M: 3 kinds of filamentous structures:
1) Microtubules: 20-28 nm diameter,
are identical to those in other cells;
with slight difference in MAP
(microtubule associated proteins):
MAP 1 – regulate stability of
microtubules and promote their
assembly
MAP 2 – abundant in perikaryon,
dendrites; absent in axon
MAP 3 – present only in axon
 CLASSIFICATION OF NEURONS BASED ON THE LENGTH OF SYNAPSE
THE AXON:  A specialization for communication between an axon and
1. Golgi type I neuron – long axon, formation of peripheral another neuron (end to end attachment of neurons)
nerve
2. Golgi type II neuron – short axon TYPES OF SYNAPSE:
1. Axodendritic
Group (clusters) of nerve cell bodies in CNS – nucleus 2. Axosomatic
in PNS – ganglion 3. Axoaxonic
Brachium/Peduncle/Lemniscus – bundles of nerve fibers in CNS 4. Dendrodendritic
Nerve/Root/Trunk/Cord/Ramus – bundles of nerve fibers in PNS 5. Somatodendritic
6. Somatosomatic
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROCESSES: AXON AND
DENDRITES
BASIS AXON DENDRITE

1 Number -one -absent or many

2 Length -longer -shorter

-bigger, tapers
-small, uniform
towards its end as it
gives off branches
3 Size/ shape -arises from a conical
elevation, the axon
-arise from a broad IMPULSE TRANSMISSION AT SYNAPSES OCCUR EITHER:
hillock
base a. Electrical – gap junction-free movement of ions from 1
Telodendron cell to another, uncommon
-transfers b. Chemical synapses – most common
impulse to
4 (+) present (-) absent  The axonal terminal or presynaptic membrane
another neuron
or effector of the first cell releases neurotransmitters
organ (synaptic vesicles)
5 Nissl bodies (-) absent (+) present  Diffuses into the synaptic cleft
 Synaptic cleft is a small gap (20-30
6 Branchings -occurs at right angles -in acute angles
nm) between the presynaptic
-rough/ irregular; membrane of first cell and
7 contour -smooth gemmules/dendritic
postsynaptic membrane of second
spines
CNS – myelin sheath cell
Sheaths (interfascicular glia)  Binds to receptors in postsynaptic membrane
PNS – myelin sheath  Depolarize postsynaptic membrane to produce
8 (Sheath of Schwann) (-) absent an impulse

Bundles CNS – fiber tract

SYNAPTIC MORPHOLOGY:
PNS - nerve
Boutons terminaux – the axon form a bulbous expansion at its terminal
Direction of
-away from cell -towards cell body end
9 impulse
bodies (cellulifugal) (cellulipetal) Bouton en passage - synaptic contacts in axons are derived from
conduction
swellings along the axon, each serves as synaptic site
10 Materials -axonal transport -dendritic transport
-impulse conduction -receives impulses
-signals transmission from other neurons
at its ending via their synapses
-trophic relationships with axon terminals
with target neurons,
muscles, glands
11 Functions -axonal transport:
most important is the
delivery to the axon
ending synaptic
vesicles and enzymes
involved in
transmitted synthesis
 SUPPORTING CELLS OF CNS: Mesaxon - a pair of parallel membranes marking the line of edge to
Neuroglia – non-nervous supporting cell edge contact of the encircling sheath cell
Classified into: Incisure or Cleft of Schmidt-Lantermann
A. Ependyma – single layer of ependymal cells lining central  Oblique lines seen in the myelin sheath
canal of spinal cord and ventricles of the brain  Points of separation of myelin lamellae
 Resembles simple columnar epithelium  Represent places where the cytoplasm of Schwann cell was
 With tapered proximal end trapped during the formation of myelin
 Its threadlike processes branch, connect with
underlying nervous tissue
B. Neuroglial proper – cells with cytoplasmic processes:
1) Astrocyte/ astroglia – star/ stellate shaped
 Branching cytoplasmic
processes
Types:
a) Protoplasmic astrocyte: in gray matter of
CNS, large pale rounded nucleus,
abundant granular cytoplasm, numerous
thick processes
2) Oligodendrocyte/ oligodendroglia/ oligoglia
 Smaller than astrocyte
 Fewer beaded processes
 More abundant in white matter forming
rows or columns along the nerve fiber
 Interfascicular oligodendrocytes produce FORMATION OF MYELIN SHEATH: (mechanism of myelination)
myelin and wrap around the axons in  Schwann cell envelops an axon and wraps its membrane
CNS around the axon to form the myelin sheath
3) Microglia – smaller, darker than oligodendrocyte  The wrapping continues for more than 50 turns
 In area of injury, these cells proliferate,  During the process, the cytoplasm is squeezed back into the
enlarge, become phagocytic clearing body of Schwann cell, bringing the cytoplasmic surfaces of
cellular debris and ingesting damaged the membranes in contact with each other thus forming the
myelin major dense spirals through the myelin sheath
 Single Schwann cell myelinates only one internode of a single
SUPPORTING CELLS OF PNS: axon in PNS
A. Capsule cell/ amphicyte/ satellite cell  Oligodendroglia myelinates an internode of several axons in
 Flattened, forms a capsule around the neurons CNS
 Ex.: spinal ganglion

Types of spinal ganglion:

a. Cerebrospinal ganglia: dorsal root ganglion
(DRG)
b. Autonomic ganglia: terminal, sympathetic,
collateral

Differences between DRG and Terminal G:

Basis DRG Terminal G
1 Cell size -relatively large -smaller
2 Shape -globular/pyriform -stellate
3 Processes -pseudounipolar -multipolar
4 Nucleus -centrally located -eccentric
5 Capsule -distinct -less distinct

B. Schwann cell – forms a long thin tube called sheath of

Schwann or neurilemmal sheath containing the axis cylinder
with the myelin sheath in between
 Myelin sheath is glistening lipoid sheath

Node of Ranvier – point where the nuerilemma dips into the myelin
sheath towards the axon
 Point of discontinuity between successive
Schwann cell along the length of the axon
 NERVE AS AN ORGAN: NERVE DEGENERATION: NEURON IS A TROPHIC UNIT
 Composed of nerve fibers  Cutting an axon will cause degenerative changes of the entire
 Mixture of motor and sensory fibers neuron
 Motor nerve fiber: an axon of the neuron in the gray matter
which innervates a muscle, or to end at a ganglion  The changes are:
 Sensory nerve fiber: a peripheral process of a pseudounipolar 1. Primary degeneration – local reaction at the site of damage,
neuron in the DRG or sensory ganglia of cranial nerves extends only a distance from the point of injury
2. Retrograde chromatolysis – in nerve cell body, after 24
1. Epineurium – covers the nerve hours
 Dense fibrous connective tissue a. Swelling of nerve cell body
 Outermost, thickest b. Displacement of nucleus
2. Perineurium – covers each bundle of nerve fibers within the c. Chromatolysis/ dissolution of nerve cell body
nerve d. Disruption and dispersal of golgi apparatus
 Dense connective tissue 3. Wallerian degeneration/ secondary degeneration – in distal
3. Endoneurium – surround each axon portion of axon
 Loose connective tissue a. Axis cylinder swells  fragments
b. Myelin sheath liquefies
c. Neurolemmal cells proliferate phagocytic,
remove the remnants of axis cylinder and myelin
sheath
 Extends up to the synapse only
 Next neuron may not be affected
 If affected  transneuronal degeneration
4. Retrograde degeneration – proximal to the site of damage
 Occurs in the central stump
 Changes similar to Wallerian
degeneration
 Towards the cell body for a distance of
one or few nodes of Ranvier

REGENERATION will occur after a time:

 Axon thickens, becomes the growing tip from which many
branches would grow.
 It will be guided by band fiber of Bungner
 Forms tubular structures by the neurolemma
 Occurs after remnants of degenerated axon and myelin sheath
were phagocytized
 Rate of elongation of axon is 3-4 mm/day