Nervous Tissue

Biological Structure 301 with Pittack at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

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By: Britany Pacheco
Created: 2011-05-03
Size: 37 flashcards
Views: 29

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Endocrine system

communicates by means of chemical messengers (hormones) secreted into the blood --> composed of all endocrine glands and the hormone- secreting cells found in other tissues and organs

Nervous system

employs electrical and chemical means to send messages very quickly from cell to cell --> an organ system composed of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and ganglia, specialized for rapid communication of info

Central Nervous System (CNS)

consists of the brain and spinal cord, which are enclosed and protected by the cranium and vertebral column

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

consists of all the nervous system except for the brain and spinal cord. It is composed of nerves and ganglia

Nerve

a bundle of nerve fibers (axon) wrapped in fibrous connective tissue

ganglion (ganglia)

a knotlike swelling in a nerve where the cell bodies of neurons are concentrated

sensory (afferent) division

carries sensory signals from various receptors (sense organs and simple sensory nerve endings) to the CNS

somatic sensory division

carries signals from receptors in the skin, muscles, bones, and joints

visceral sensory division

carries signals mainly from the viscera of the thoracic and abdominal cavities, such as the heart, lungs, stomach, and urinary bladder

motor (efferent) division

carries signals from the CNS to gland and muscle cells that carry out the body's responses. cells and organs that respond to commands from the nervous system are called effectors

somatic motor division

carries signals to the skeletal musclses. This outout produces muscular contractions that are under voluntary control, as well as involuntary muscle contractions called somatic reflexes

visceral motor divison ( autonomic nervous system)

carries signals to glands, cardiac muscle and smooth muscle. We usually have no voluntary control over these effectors, and this system operates at an unconscious level called visceral reflexes

sympathetic division

tends to arose the body for action. EX- accelerating the heartbeat and increasing respiratory airflow- but it inhibits digestion

parasympathetic division

adapts the body for energy intake and conservation. EX- It stimulates digestion but slows down the heartbeat and reduces respiratory airflow

receptor

a cell or organ specialized to detect a stimulus, such as a taste cell or the eye

effector

a molecule, cell, or organ that carries out a response to a stimulus

neuron

a nerve cell; an electrically excitable cell specialized for producing and transmitting action potentials and secreting chemicals that stimulate adjacent cells --> carry out the systems' communicative role

stimuli

a chemical or physical agaent in a cell's surroundings that is capable of creating a physiological response in the cell, especially agents detected by sensory cells, such as chemicals, light and pressure

sensory (afferent) neurons

specialized to detect stimuli such as light, heat, pressure, and chemicals and to transmit information about them to the CNS. Can start almost in any organ in the body but always ends in the brain or spinal cord; the word afferent refers to signal conduction toward the CNS

interneurons

lie entirely within the CNS. They recieve signals from many other neurons and carry out the integrative function of the nervous system- that is, they process, store, and retrieve information and "make decisions" about how the body responds to stimuli

motor (efferent) neurons

send signals predominantly to muscle and gland cells, the effectors that carry out the body's responses to stimuli. They are called motor neurons b/c most of them lead to muscle cells, and efferent neurons to signify that they conduct signals away from the CNS

soma (cell body)

control center of the neuron; it has a single, centrally located nucleus with a large nucleolus

dendrites

process of a neuron that receives info from other cells or from environmental stimuli and conducts signals to the soma. Usually shorter, more branched, and more numerous than the axon and are incapable of producing action potentials.

axon

a process of a neuron that conducts action potentials away from the soma; also called a nerve fiber. There is only one axon to a neuron, and it is usually much longer and much less branched than the dendrites

action potential

a rapid voltage change in which a plasma membran briefly reverses electrical polarity; has a self-propagating effect that produces a traveling wave of excitation in nerve and muscle cells

synaptic knob

the swollen tip at the distal end of an axon; the site of synaptic vesicles and neurotransmitter diffuses --> forms a junction (synapse) with a muscle cell, gland cell, or another neuron

neuroglia (glial cells)

all cells of nervous tissue except neurons; cells that perform various supportive and protective roles for the neurons --> protect the neurons and aid their function

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

a liquid that fills the ventricles of the brain, the central canal of the spinal cord, and the space between the CNS and dura mater

myelin sheath

an insulating layer around a nerve fiber, somewhat like the rubber insulation on a wire. It is formed by oligodendrocytes in the CNS and Schwann cells in the PNS. Imparts a glistening white color to certain regions of the nervous tissue, such as the white matter of the brain and spinal cord

neurilemma

only in the myelination in the PNS when the Schwann cell spirals outward as it wraps the nerve fiber and it finally ends with a thich outermost coil which is the neurilemma

node of Ranvier

a gap between adjacent segments of myelin in a myelinated nerve fiber; the point where action potentials are generated in a myelinated fiber

interneuron

a neuron that is contained entirely in the CNS and, in the path of signal conduction, lies anywhere b/t an afferent pathway and and efferent pathway

synapse

1) a junction at the end of an axon where it stimulates another cell. 2) a gap junction b/t 2 cardiac or smooth muscle cells at which one cell electrically stimulates the other; called an electrical synapse

neurotransmitter

a chemical released at the distal end of an axon that stimulates an adjacent cell (turns the electrical signal into a chemical signal); EX- acetylcholine (Ach), norepinephrine, and serotonin

chemical synapse

a junction at which the presynaptic neuron releases a neurotransmitter to stimualte the postsynaptic cell

neuromuscular junction (NMJ)

a synapse b/t a nerve fiber and a muscle cell EX employs acetylcholine (Ach) as a neurotransmitter

electrical synapse

a type of synapse that connects some neurons, neuroglia, and cardiac and single-unit smooth muscle cells. Adjacent cells are joined by gap junctions that allow ions to diffuse from one cell into the next

About this deck

By: Britany Pacheco
Created: 2011-05-03
Size: 37 flashcards
Views: 29

About StudyBlue

“Simply amazing. The flash cards are smooth, there are many different types of studying tools, and there is a great search engine. I praise you on the awesomeness.”
Dennis