The Peripheral nervous System

Dr. Rawaa Salim Hameed

Asst. Prof. of Neural Cell and Tissue Engineering
Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Pharmacy,
Email: rawaa.salim@uobasrah.edu.iq
 Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
• PNS consists of the
• 12 pairs cranial nerves
• 31 pairs Spinal nerves
• Ganglia
• Nerve endings

• The function of PNS:-

transmits the sensation
to the CNS and carry
the motor order from
CNS to the muscles or glands
 Nerve Fibres
• Nerves are bundles of nerve fibres (axons)
surrounded by Schwann cells and layers of
connective tissue.

• The sheath may or may not form myelin

around the axons.
 Myelinated fibres
Schwann cell winds and wraps
around the axon to form myelin.

Myelin consists of a higher

proportion of lipids.
The myelin sheath shows gaps
along its path called the nodes
of Ranvier.

The distance between two

nodes is called an internode and
consists of one Schwann cell
 Unmyelinated fibres
The glial cell does not form the multiple wrapping of a
myelin sheath
Unmyelinated fibres in the CNS are completely naked
axons
In the PNS they are surrounded by Schwann cell cytoplasm.
Nodes of Ranvier are not seen along unmyelinated nerve
fibres
Similarities Between Myelinated and Unmyelinated
Nerve Fibres

• Both myelinated and unmyelinated nerve

fibres are made up of axons of the nerve cells.
• Both myelinated and unmyelinated nerve
fibres present in the central nervous system as
well as the peripheral nervous system.
 Difference Between Myelinated and Unmyelinated Nerve Fibres
Myelinated Nerve Fibres Unmyelinated Nerve Fibres
Definition Myelinated nerve fibres are the nerve fibres Unmyelinated nerve fibres are the nerve
that are insulated by a myelin sheath, allowing fibres that do not have a myelin sheath.
the faster conduction of the action potential
along the nerve fibre.

Myelin Sheath Contain a myelin sheath around the nerve fibre. Do not contain a myelin sheath.

Colour white in colour. Gray in colour.

Nodes of Ranvier Consist of nodes of Ranvier Do not consist of nodes of Ranvier

Speed of Signal The speed of the transmission of the nerve The speed of the transmission of the nerve
Transduction impulses is high. impulses is low.

Location Most peripheral nerves consist of myelinated The small-axon neurons in CNS and
nerve fibres. postsympathetic nerve fibres in the
peripheral nervous system are
unmyelinated nerve fibres.
Length of Axons Typically, the nerve fibres with longer axons are The short axon nerve fibres are
myelinated. unmyelinated.
Loss of Impulse The myelin sheath prevents the loss can lose the nerve impulse during
during Conduction
of the impulse during conduction. conduction.
 Nerve Organization
• Nerves are enclosed within layers of connective tissue:-
1. Endoneurium: loose connective tissue surrounded the individual
nerve fibres
2. Perineurium: dense connective tissue composed of fibroblasts
and collagen fibres surrounded the bundles of the nerve fibres
3. Epineurium: loose connective tissue, surrounded peripheral nerve
(one or more bundle)
 Ganglia
A ganglion is an accumulation of nerve cell bodies
outside the brain or spinal cord
Ovoid structures, each ganglion cell body surrounded by a layer of
flat satellite cells
The ganglion is enclosed by loss and a dense connective tissue
capsule, which divides into trabeculae
 The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

This is part of PNS consists of motor neurons

that run to all the internal organs and
activate them without our conscious control.

It is concerned with the control of:

• 1- The smooth muscles in the walls of blood
vessels and viscera.
• 2- Heart
• 3- Glands
 Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
Consists of two-neuron network linked by a
ganglion (Autonomic ganglion)
The first neuron starts with the CNS and runs out to
the ganglion called Preganglionic
The second neuron has its cell body within the
ganglion and its axon runs to the organ called
Postganglionic
 The organization of ANS
 ANS is divided into:-
1- Sympathetic (Thoraco-lumbar)system:-
 Its nerves originate from the middle region (thoracic and lumbar) of the
spinal cord, therefore this system is called the thoraco-lumbar system.
 The function of the sympathetic nervous system is to prepare the body
for emergencies.

2- Parasympathetic (cranio-sacral) system

 The nerves of this system arise from the base of the brain and from the
bottom region of the spinal cord (sacral portion) therefore this system is
called the cranio-sacral system.
 The function of parasympathetic nervous system is to maintain the body
in a resting “normal” state
 Both systems transmit across their ganglia employing neurotransmitter
acetylcholine.
 Sympathetic system
• Originate from the middle region of
the spinal cord
• Preganglionic nerve axon is
very short
• Postganglionic nerve axon is
much longer
• The preganglonic fibres
employ acetylcholine as a
neurotransmitter
• At the nerve endings of the
postganglionic fibres a
neurotransmitter called
noradrenalin (norepinephrine)
• Its function is to prepare
the body for emergencies
 Parasympathetic system
• Originate from the base of the
brain and from the bottom
region of the spinal cord
• Preganglionic nerve axon is
very long
• Postganglionic nerve axon is
much short
• The preganglonic fibres
employ acetylcholine as
a neurotransmitter
• At the nerve endings of the
postganglionic fibres a
neurotransmitter called
acetylcholine
• Its function is to maintain the
body in a resting “normal” state
 The organization of the nervous system
Anatomically, the nervous system is divided into:-
 Homework
• What is the structure of BBB?
• Define choroid plexus ?
• What is the function of Purkinje cells?
• What is the demyelination?
Thank you