Chapter 2 – Histology of nervous system ～白
Nervous tissue consists of:
Neurons (nerve cells) 神经元细胞
Neuroglia (glia / glial cells) 神经胶细胞
Neurons (nerve cells) 神经元细胞 Neuroglia (glia / glial cells) 胶质细胞
¤ A nerve cell that generates or propagates action ¤ 大部分的大脑细胞是胶质细胞
potentials 负责传达电流 / 传导讯号（大部分讯号 ¤ 结构比较简单
都是电流传递） ¤ Smaller than neurons
o Specialized for the reception of stimuli and the ¤ 5 ~ 25 times more neurons
conduction of the nerve impulse ¤ Can multiply and divide in the mature nervous system
¤ 占大脑细胞总数的 1/10 ¤ Do not generate or propagate action potentials
¤ 真正创造大脑活动的细胞 ¤ 主要的功能是支撑大脑的架构
¤ Are found in the brain, spinal cord and ganglia ¤ Support, nourish, and protect the neurons
¤ Unlike most other cells in the body, normal neurons ¤ Six types of glia:
in the mature individual do not undergo division and 1. CNS: astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia,
replication ependymal cells
¤ Possess electrical excitability 可以被刺激的 2. PNS: Schwann cells, satellite cells
o The ability to respond to a stimulus and
convert it into an action potential 动作电位
刺激量够大，就会诱发动作电位
o Stimulus: any change in the environment that
is strong enough to initiate an action potential
o Action potential (nerve impulse 神经冲动): an
electrical signal that propagates (travels) along
the surface of the membrane of a neuron
动作电位是一种神经冲动
¤ Made up of a cell body and cell processes (neurites)
Cell body 细胞体本身 Astrocytes 星状细胞
- Consists of a mass of cytoplasm in which a - The largest and most numerous of the neuroglia
nucleus is embedded - Characterized by their starlike shapes
o The volume of cytoplasm within the nerve - Supporting framework for nerve cells & fibers
cell body is often less than the total i. Fibrous astrocytes
volume of cytoplasm in the neurites o Found mainly in white matter
Cell processes 分支 o Processes pass between the nerve
I. Dendrites fibers
Short branches conduct impulses o Each process is long, slender, smooth,
towards the cell body 负责将讯息 and not much branched
传回神经元细胞（接收讯息） o Cell bodies and processes contain
II. Axon (nerve fiber) many filaments in cytoplasm
Long branch conducts nerve ii. Protoplasmic astrocytes (found in gray matter)
impulses away from the cell body o Found mainly in gray matter
负责将讯息（讯号）传递出去 o Processes pass between the nerve cell
bodies
o Each process is shorter, thicker, and
more branched
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Chapter 2 – Histology of nervous system ～白
o The cytoplasm contains fewer
filaments
Oligodendrocytes
- Have small cell bodies and a few delicate
processes
- No filaments in the cytoplasm
- Are frequently found in rows along myelinated
nerve fibers and surround nerve cell bodies
- Responsible for forming and maintaining the
myelin sheath around CNS axons
o Provides the axons with an insulating coat
and greatly increases the speed of nerve
conduction along the axons
Microglia (microglial cells)
- Smallest of the neuroglial cells
- Are found scattered throughout the CNS
- Function as phagocytes
o Remove cellular debris formed during
normal development and phagocytize
microbes and damaged nervous tissue
Ependymal cells
- Assist in circulation or CFS
Schwann cells
- Form the myelin sheath around axons in PNS
Satellite cells
- Function as phagocytes
o Remove cellular debris formed during
normal development and phagocytize
microbes and damaged nervous tissue
¤ 神经细胞和身体中其他细胞相同的地方：
o Bounded externally by a plasma membrane 最
外层被细胞膜 cell membrane 包覆着
o Consists essentially of a mass of cytoplasm in
which a nucleus is embedded 细胞内有包含
基因的细胞核 nucleus
o 有细胞质 cytoplasm，粒线体，内质网和其
他的胞器
¤ 神经细胞和其他细胞不同的地方：
o 神经细胞会从本体处长出树突 dendrite 和
轴突 axon
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Chapter 2 – Histology of nervous system ～白
¤ 老年人脑中神经元的数目较年轻人少
¤ 其他的细胞死了后会有新生的细胞取而代之，但
大部分神经元死了后却不会再造出来
¤ 研究显示，成人脑中的海马迴仍会有新的神经元
增生
Cell processes
o Most neurons have two kinds of processes
Multiple dendrites
A single axon
Dendrites Axons
Are the receiving or input portions of a neuron The single long tubular neurite that conducts
impulses away from the cell body
Function: receive impulses & transports them Function: transport / propagates nerve impulses
toward cell body toward another neuron, a muscle fiber, or a
gland cell
Length: usually short processes Length: very short to extremely long
o Microns o From microns (10-6 of a meter) to meters
o Seldom more than a mm
Coverings: always naked Covering: myelinated (cover with myelin) or
unmyelinated
o Myelinated axon 传递神经冲动速度快
很多
Arises from axon hillock
Often referred to as nerve fibers
- A nerve fiber is a general term for any neuronal process (extension) that emerges from the cell body
of a neuron
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Chapter 2 – Histology of nervous system ～白
Classifications of neurons:
A）Classification based on function
o According to the direction in which the nerve impulse (action potential) is conveyed with
respect to the CNS
Sensory neurons 感觉神经元
Motor neurons 运动神经元
Interneurons 联络神经元
Sensory neurons (afferent neurons) Motor neurons (efferent neurons) Interneurons (association neurons)
¤ Either contain sensory receptors ¤ Convey action potentials away ¤ Mainly located within the CNS
at their distal ends (dendrites) or from the CNS to effectors between sensory and motor
are located just after sensory (muscles and glands) in the PNS neurons
receptors that are separate cells through cranial or spinal nerves ¤ Integrate incoming sensory
¤ Once an appropriate stimulus information from sensory neurons
activates a sensory receptor, the and then elicit a motor response
sensory neuron forms an action by activating the appropriate
potential in its axon and the motor neurons
action potential is conveyed into
the CNS through cranial or spinal
nerves
¤ Mostly are in unipolar structure ¤ In multipolar structure ¤ Mostly are in multipolar structure
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Chapter 2 – Histology of nervous system ～白
B）Morphological classification (structurally)
o The number, length, and mode of branching of the neurites provide a morphologic method for
classifying neurons
o According to the number of processes extending from the cell body
Unipolar neurons 单极神经元
Bipolar neurons 双极神经元
Multipolar neurons 多极神经元
Unipolar neurons (pseudounipolar Bipolar neurons Multipolar neurons
neurons)
Have dendrites and one axon Have one main dendrite and one Usually have several dendrites
o Fused together to form a axon and one axon
continuous process that Possess an elongated cell body, Have a number of neurites arising
emerges from the cell from each end of which a single from the cell body
body neurite emerges With the exception of the long
The cell body has a single neurite process (axon), the remainder of
that divides a short distance from the neurites are dendrites
the cell body into two branches,
one proceeding to some
peripheral structure and the other
entering the central nervous
system
The fine terminal branches found
at the peripheral end of the axon
receptor site are often referred to
as the dendrites
The cell bodies are mostly located Found in the retina of the eyes, Found in the brain and spinal
in the ganglia of spinal and cranial the inner ear, and the olfactory cord, as well as all motor neurons
nerves (posterior root ganglion) area of the brain
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Chapter 2 – Histology of nervous system ～白
Gray & white matter
o In a freshly dissected section of the brain or spinal cord, some regions look white and others appear
gray
Gray matter White matter
¤ Contains neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, ¤ Composed primarily of myelinated axons
unmyelinated axons, axon terminals, and neuroglia
¤ Appears grayish because the Nissl bodies impart a ¤ The whitish color of myelin gives white matter its
gray color and there is little or no myelin in these name
areas
¤ 传导速度比较快速（有 myelin）
** 大脑白质在内，灰质在外；脊髓白质在外，灰质在内
