L3 neurons and glia

Typical neuron

Perikaryon - Cell body of neuron.

Neurons have very prominent nucleolus because they are transcriptionally and translationally
v active (RNAs produced there). Rest of chromatin is diffuse because neurons are
postmitotic. This has implications for regeneration of CNS. If neurons are damaged they
cannot regenerate through division.

Also have many mitochondrion as they have high energy turnover, when performing
processes eg.

 Maintaining membrane potential

 Fire signals
 Pack NT
 Recycling NT

Classes of neurons

Multipolar - Sends projections in different directions including axon and dendrites. Multiple
dendrites and one axon. Freq in eukaryotes, located in CNS and autonomic ganglia. Travel
from dendrites to presynaptic terminals

eg. Motor neuron in spinal cord

Bipolar - Have an axon on one side of cell body and dendrite on other side, extending in
opposite directions. Rare. Travel from dendrite to presynaptic terminals

eg. Bipolar cells in retina

Pseudo-unipolar - Unipolar because only ONE projection from cell body. Pseudo because
projection divides in two. Located in spinal and cranial nerve ganglia. Travel from CNS
terminal to peripheral terminal

eg. Primary somatosensory neuron in DRG

Unipolar - One single true projection. V rare in vertebrates.

Nerve fibre classifications

Transport in neurons

Neuronal cytoskeleton plays big role.

1. Microtubules - alpha and beta tubulin dimers → transport

1. V important for delivery of cargo from cell body to nerve ending and vice
versa
2. Neurofilaments - coiled-coil fibres → structural maintenance
3. Microfilaments - actin dimers → movement

Neuronal components are transported via molecular motors associated with axonal
microtubules. Entire cell organelles are transported along this pathway eg. Mitochondria or
endocytotic vesicles.

Anterograde (Away from cell body) transport: Kinesins (- → +)

Retrograde (Towards cell body) transport: Dyneins (+← -)

Axon tracing using axonal transport mechanisms

These transport mechanisms are convenient to stain and trace axonal projections.

This can be done by injecting WGA-HRP (Wheat Germ Agglutinin Horseradish Peroxidase)
into the target tissue.

If you genetically link WGA-HRP and inject it into the target tissue (anywhere in CNS), it is
taken up into the cell body and the protein complexes are transported from the minus end to
the plus end (anterograde transport). This allows for anterograde tracing, which allows you to
determine where the axon project to if the cell body is in specific area of CNS.

There are now also tracing mechanisms that allow trans-synaptic tracing using recombinant
viruses. This can be done because some viruses are able to cross synapses, typically rabies
viruses are used for this tracing mechanism. This allows tracing of neuronal networks across
multiple synapses.

In Image A you can see there is a 2 synaptic pathway from tissue A to tissue C

In Image B you can see injection of different dyes in different tissues

Connectivity
Diffusion tensor tractography (DTI)

 Diffusion of water molecules to detect identify axons.

 This works because axons are tube so water molecules can only travel in one direction
so directionality can be detected

Convergence and divergence

Convergence - Means when a neuron has multiple neurons synapsing on it

Divergence - When multiple neurons synapse off one neuron

Neuroglia

Major classes of neuroglial cells

CNS

Ependymal cells

Found in the lining of ventricular system and spinal canal. Have cuboidal/colunar epithelium.
Secrete, monitor and aid in circulation of CSF.

Ependymocytes: Cilia and microvillia

Tanycytes: Role as neurogenic stem cells

Choroid plexus: Specialised cuboidal epithelium in all ventricles, Main secretor of CSF

Oligodendrocytes

 Oligodendrocytes can myelinate multiple axons

 They inhibit axon regeneration in CNS w astrocytes

Therapeutic aims for treatment of MS: Inhibit T cells, promote prouction of oligodendroctyes
from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC)

Astrocytes

 Fibrous: found in white matter (high conc of myelinated axons), support axons, very
long spidery fibres
 Protoplasmic: grey matter, homeostatic and other roles, smaller fibres more
condensed
Roles

 Structural support
 Extracellular electrolyte homeostasis, astrocytes can release or take up ions
 Energy storage (glycogen, glucose, lactate)
 Effect on endothelial cells and angiogenic factors (associated with formation of BBB)
 Form glia limitans
 Uptake and regulation of NT
 Glutamate regulation (glutamate/glutamine transport)
 Neurotrophic factors → neuronal survival, myelination
 Neurogenesis and synaptogenesis through modification of ECM
 Inhibition of axon regeneration
 Immune modulation (tgt w microglia)

Microglia

 Immune defence and removal of cellular debris in brain

 Pro inflammatory
 On activation, become phagocytotic
 Mechanism of activation unclear, but purines released from dying cells are likely to
play a role
 Role of microglia in shaping neuronal circuits

PNS

Satellite cells

 Present in dorsal root ganglia and sympathetic ganglia

 Structural and metabolic support

Schwann cells

 Myelination of PNS axons (one per axon)

 Rapid removal of myelin debris by phagocytosis
 Promote axon regeneration by producing permissive ECM components eg. laminin
and neurotrophins eg. NGF