MICROSTRUCTURE OF

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Dr. Najma Baseer
Assistant Professor Anatomy
IBMS ,KMU
 Objectives
By the end of this module, students should be able to
•  Describe the micro structure of the nervous system
•  Discuss that nerve cells communicate with each other via
neurotransmission
•  Discuss the clinical aspects and recent advances
Neurons
•  Most of the neurons in the CNS are either
•  clustered into nuclei
•  columns or layers
•  dispersed within grey matter
•  Neurons of the PNS are confined to ganglia
•  Neurons are postmitotic cells and, with few exceptions,
are not replaced when lost
•  Exhibit great variability in size
 Classification of neurons
•  Structure
•  Function
Structural classification of neurons
•  unipolar, pseudounipolar, bipolar or multipolar.
•  Unipolar –cell body is at one end of a single un-branched axon, and there are
no dendrites
•  These can be found in the cochlear nucleus of the brain
•  Pseudounipolar – Have one axon which is divided into two branches by the
presence of the cell body
•  Sensory neurons are all pseudounipolar
•  Bipolar – have two processes arising from a central cell body – typically one
axon and one dendrite
•  These cells are found in the retina.
•  Multipolar – They have one axon and many dendrites, with a cell body
displaced to one side of the axon. Motor neurons are a prime example of this
 Functional Classification
•  Three broad functional classifications of nerves
•  Sensory (afferent)
•  Intermediate
•  Motor (efferent)
•  There are key structural differences between these three types:
•  Sensory nerves – small axons and psuedounipolar structure.
•  Motor nerves – larger axons and multipolar structure.
•  Intermediate neurons – central cell body and many dendrites.
•  Sensory and motor nerves are located within the PNS, whereas
intermediate nerves are found in the CNS.
 Basic structure
•  Cell bodies range from 5 to 100 µm diameter and shape.
•  Surface areas are extensive
•  most neurons display numerous narrow, branched cell
processes.
•  Usually have a rounded or polygonal cell body/perikaryon/ soma)
•  Soma is central mass of cytoplasm that encloses a nucleus
•  Gives off long, branched extensions
 Soma
•  Plasma membrane of the soma is unmyelinated
•  Cytoplasm is rich in rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum
and free polyribosomes that congregate in large groups
associated with the RER
•  These aggregates of RNA-rich structures are visible by light
microscopy as basophilic Nissl (chromatin) bodies or granules
•  More obvious in large, highly active cells such as spinal motor
neurons
•  The apparatus for protein synthesis (including RNA and
ribosomes) occupies the soma and dendrites but is usually
absent from axons.
 Contacts of Soma
•  Contacted by inhibitory and excitatory axosomatic synapses
•  Very occasionally, somasomatic and dendrosomatic contacts
may be made
•  Non-synaptic surface is covered by either astrocytic or satellite
oligodendrocyte processes
•  Various transmembrane channel proteins and enzymes are
located at the surfaces of neurons, where they are associated
with ion transport
 Contents of Soma
•  Nucleus is characteristically large, round
and euchromatic, with one or more
prominent nucleoli
•  Engaged in substantial levels of protein
synthesis
•  Cytoplasm contains many mitochondria
and moderate numbers of lysosomes
•  Golgi complexes are typically seen close
to the nucleus, near the bases of the
main dendrites and opposite the axon
hillock
 Neuronal skeleton
•  A prominent feature of neuronal cytoplasm
•  Gives shape, strength and rigidity to the dendrites and axons.
•  Neurofilaments (the intermediate filaments of neurons) and microtubules are
abundant
•  Occur in the soma and extend along dendrites and axons, in proportions that
vary with the type of neuron and cell process.
•  Bundles of neurofilaments constitute neurofibrils, which can be seen by light
microscopy in silver stained sections
 Neuronal skeleton conti…
•  Some axons are almost filled by neurofilaments.
•  Dendrites usually have more microtubules than axons.
•  Microtubules are important in axonal transport.
•  Centrioles persist in mature postmitotic neurones, where they
are concerned with the generation of microtubules rather than
cell division.
 Dendrites
•  Dendrites are highly branched, usually short processes that
project from the soma
•  Groups of neurons with similar functions have a similar
stereotypical tree structure
•  Dendritic trees may be plastic structures throughout adult life,
expanding and contracting as the traffic of synaptic activity varies
through afferent axodendritic contacts.
•  Branching patterns of dendrites are important determinants of
the integration of afferent inputs that converge on the tree.
 How dendrites are different from axons
•  Represent the afferent rather than the efferent system of the
neuron
•  Receive both excitatory and inhibitory axodendritic contacts
•  May also make dendrodendritic and dendrosomatic
connections
•  Synapses occur either on small projections called dendritic
spines or on the smooth dendritic surface
•  Dendrites contain ribosomes, smooth endoplasmic
reticulum, microtubules, neurofilaments, actin filaments &
golgi complexes
 Axons
•  Originates either from the soma or from the proximal
segment of a dendrite, at a specialized region called the
axon hillock which is free from Nissl granules
•  The axonal membrane (axolemma) is undercoated at the
hillock by a concentration of cytoskeletal molecules,
including spectrin and actin fibrils,
•  Spectrin and actin fibrils are important in anchoring
numerous voltage-sensitive channels to the membrane
•  Nodes of Ranvier are specialized constricted regions of
myelin-free axolemma where action potentials are
generated and where an axon may branch
Axonal Ion Channels
•  Density of sodium channels in the axolemma is highest at
the nodes of Ranvier and very low along internodal
membranes.
•  Sodium channels are spread more evenly within the
axolemma of unmyelinated axons.
•  Fast potassium channels are also present in the paranodal
regions of myelinated axons.
•  The terminals of an axon are unmyelinated
•  Terminals expand into presynaptic boutons, which may form
connections with axons, dendrites, neuronal somata or, in the
periphery, muscle fibres, glands and lymphoid tissue
Pattern of axonal termination
•  Vary considerably
•  A single axon may synapse with one neuron, such as
climbing fibres ending on cerebellar Purkinje neurons
•  more often, it synapses with many, such as cerebellar
parallel fibres, which provide an extreme example of this
phenomenon
•  In synaptic glomeruli (e.g., in the olfactory bulb) and
synaptic cartridges, groups of synapses between two or
more neurons form interactive units encapsulated by
neuroglia
Axoplasmic flow
•  Neuronal organelles and cytoplasm are in continual motion.
•  Bidirectional streaming of vesicles along axons results in a net
transport of materials from the soma to the terminals
•  more limited movement in the opposite direction.
•  Two major types of transport occur—one slow, and one
relatively fast.
•  Slow axonal transport is a bulk flow of axoplasm only in the
anterograde direction, carrying cytoskeletal proteins and soluble, non-
membrane-bound proteins at a rate of 0.1 to 3 mm a day.
•  Fast axonal transport carries vesicular material at approximately 200
mm a day in the retrograde direction and 40 mm a day anterogradely.