Excitable Cells Lecture 2

Excitable cells
Dr. T Jay-du Preez

Excitable cells
 A neuron is a nerve cell.
 These are functional neural
elements
 Nerve fibres = axons and
dendrites that form part of
neuron
 Ganglia =groups of nerve
cells in PNS
.
Excitable cells
 PNS: Nerves consist of ganglia
and nerve fibres. (Fibres
bound in bundles by
connective tissue)
 Cells of these nerve fibres are
located in CNS
 31 pairs spinal nerves
connecting spinal cord to
peripheral sensory endings
and muscles/glands (effectors)
 12 pairs cranial nerves
connecting brain with
structures in the head
Excitable cells
 A multipolar neuron
 Dendrites
 Nissl bodies
 Nucleus
 Axon
 Axon hillock
 Neurolemma
 Myelin sheath
 Ranvier node
 Terminal brances
 End Bulb
 Axon collateral
 Dendritic spine
Excitable cells
 Multipolar neuron
 Bipolar cell
 Unipolar cell=spinal
ganglion cells in PNS
Excitable cells
 Working of a neuron:
 Three parts: Cell body/soma, dendrites ,and
an axon.
 Cell body/soma =referred to as a nerve cell
 Dendrites=elongated cytoplasmic processes;
information receptors
 Axon=single cytoplasmic process; conduct
nerve impulses to nerve, muscle or glands.
Excitable cells
 Neurons function: receive info, transform into
coded electrical impulse and conduct it and
transmit it to other cells.
Excitable cells
 Cell body: Organelles, Nissl bodies
(ribosomes attached to ER). Nucleus.
 Metabolic processes take place here
 Axon transport is retrograde or anterograde.
 Virusses also travel via this route.
 Grey matter=mainly nerve cells/cell bodies
 In CNS cells with same functions
group=nuclei
 (In PNS=ganglia)
Excitable cells
 Nerve fibres (axons and
dendrites)
 Axons end in end
bulbs/synaptic
knob/terminal
 Contact point between
presynaptic neuron or
postsynaptic cell=synapse.
 Axon terminals transmit
impulses to muscle fibres
has specialised
endings=motor endplate.
Excitable cells
Excitable cells
 Nerve fibres
 Trasmission takes place via neurotransmitter in
synaptic vesicles
 Abundant mitochondria due to high metabolism
 Nerve impulse arrives presynaptic end
 Exocytosis=release neurotransmitter into cleft
 Combine with chemical receptors membrane
postsynaptic cell
 Impulse generation first part of axon.
Excitable cells
 Active transport used to take neurotransmitter
substance up again for reuse.
 Function of dendrites=increase surface area
and reception for neuron.
 PNS have unipolar cells with receptor
endings.
 Afferent fibres take impulses to the CNS
 Efferent fibres take impulses away from CNS
Excitable cells
 Myelination of fibres:
 White=white matter of the CNS
 Also present in PNS
 Formed by Oligodendrocytes in CNS
 Formed by Schwann cells in PNS
Excitable cells
 Surrounds large diameter nerve fibres
 Myelin is a lipoprotein material
 Myelin sheaths are extra lipid cell membrane
wrappings around fibres.
 Schwann cells wrap themselves many times
around fibre in PNS.
Excitable cells
Excitable cells
 Fibres first surrounded by myelin sheath
(fused layer of Schwann cell membranes)
 Then surrounded by sheath of Schwann
cells.
Excitable cells
 Unmyelinated fibres in PNS also encased by
Schwann cells but in a different way.
 One Schwann cell may enclose several fibres
Excitable cells
 In CNS processes of
oligodendrocytes wrap
around the fibres.
Excitable cells
 A CNS
 B Myelinated fibre
 C Unmyelinated fibre
Excitable cells
 Myelin sheaths interrupted at nodes of
Ranvier
 Functioning of fibres depend upon
myelination
 Starts in fetus, completed by age 7 or 8.
 E.g. motor nerves myelinated by the time
child learns to walk
 Multiple sclerosis is due to patches of
demyelination in CNS and loss of conduction.
Excitable cells
 Classes of Nerve fibres:
 Myelinated Group A (alpha, beta, gamma and
delta)
 Myelinated Group B
 Unmyelinated Group C
Excitable cells
 Afferent fibres:
 A alpha: Vibration and touch
 A beta: Touch and pressure
 A delta: Pain and temperature
 C Pain and afferent autonomic information.
Excitable cells
 Fibres of different diameter differ in function.
 Thick to thin: A,B, C
 Group A: Alpha, beta gamma and delta
 Greater diameter, lower threshold for
activation, shorter refractory period and
greater speed of impulse
 Thus higher conduction velocity in myelinated
fibres.
Excitable cells
 Degeneration and regeneration of PNS
 Peripheral nerve severed and cut ends sewn
together: regeneration can take place.
 Fibres distal to injury deprived of substances
provided by cell bodies=Wallerian
degeneration/Anterograde
 Retrograde degeneration takes place along
intact axon
Excitable cells
 The Schwann sheaths remain intact for a while
 Small sprouts grow from proximal cut ends
 Can enter sheaths of degenerated fibres
 If not find their way to sheaths, forms a tangled
mass or neuroma.
 Growth 1-4mm per day
 Sometimes only partial recovery.
 Neurotropins=growth factors aids neuronal growth.
Excitable cells
 Regeneration not possible/limited in the
central nervous system i.e. brain and spinal
cord.
 Depends on plasticity
 Decreases with age.
Excitable cells
 Plasticity is life long possibility of the
occurrence of long term structural,
physiological and biochemical changes in
synaptic function.
 This depends upon stimulation or learning.
 Lengthening and branching of nerve fibres
take place plus new synaptic contacts
 Metabolic changes in post synaptic neurons.
 Limited recovery of brain lesions.
Excitable cells
 Neuroglia:
 Glial cells=connective tissue in CNS
 Support, neural nutrition, defence, excitation
and inhibition and guide nerve outgrowths.
Excitable cells
 Astrocytes: Send
processes to brain blood
vessels. Associated with
tight junctions of
cappilaries and blood
brain barrier. Produce
neurotropic substances,
assist in maintaining K+
conc. of ECF and take up
neurotransmitter e.g.
glutamate and gama-
aminobutyric acid
Excitable cells
 Oligodendrocytes
 Formation of myelin sheaths in CNS
 Ependymal cells
 Line ventricles and canals in CNS
 Ciliated=circulation CSF
Excitable cells
 Microglial cells
 Phagocytes
 Protective function
 Not true glial cells, part of Macrophages.
Excitable cells
 Satellite cells
 Support neurons in peripheral ganglia
 Schwann cells
 Found along peripheral nerve fibres
 Myelination (Not CNS)
Excitable cells
 A nerve cell is an excitable cell
 Muscle cells are also excitable cells.

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Excitable cells

Dr. T Jay-du Preez

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