Histology of Nervous System

IKA MURTI
HISTOLOGY DEPT.
FK UNSOED

Introduction
The

most complex system in the body

histologically and
physiologically

Formed by a network of many billion nerve cells

(neurons)
All assisted by many more supporting glial cells
Each neuron has hundreds of interconnections with
other neurons forming a very complex system for
processing information and generating responses

Outline
Central nervous system (CNS)
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Classification of receptors

Structural divisions of the nervous system

Organization

Components

General
description

Central nervous
system (CNS)

Brain and spinal

cord

Overall "command
center,"
processing and
integrating
information

Peripheral
nervous system
(PNS)

Nerves and
ganglia

Receives and
projects
information to and
from the CNS;
mediates some
reflexes

Nervous System

Organization of the Nervous

System
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Consists of the brain and spinal cord
- Nucleus = a collection of nerve cell bodies
in the CNS
- Tracts = bundle of nerve fibers within the
CNS
integrating, processing, and coordinating

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Consists of ganglia, cranial nerves, spinal
nerves and peripheral receptors
Ganglia = a collection of nerve cell bodies
in the PNS
Nerve = bundle of nerve fibers in the PNS
Provides sensory information to the CNS
Carries motor commands to peripheral
tissues

Functional divisions of the nervous system

Organizati
on
Sensory
nervous
system

Motor
nervous
system

Components

General description

Some CNS and PNS

components

Includes all axons that

transmit impulses from a
peripheral structure to the
CNS

Somatic sensory

Transmits input from skin,

fascia, joints, and skeletal
muscles

Visceral sensory

Transmits input from

stomach and intestines
(viscera)

Some CNS and PNS

components

Includes all axons that

transmit nerve impulses
from the CNS to a muscle or
gland

Somatic motor

Cerebrum
Grey matter
Outer part cerebral & cerebellar cortex
Gyri & sulci
Soma, dendrite, initial segment of axon
Non-myelinating glial cell
Learning, memory, sensory integration, information
analysis, initiation of motor response

White matter
Inner part
Myelinated axon & some unmyelinated axon
Oligodendrocyte >>

Cerebral cortex
Molecular
layer/plexiform layer
Horizontal cell (of Cajal)

Outer granular layer

Stellate/granule cell,
pyramidal cell

Outer pyramidal layer

Pyramidal cell (small) >>

Inner granular layer

Stellate cell, pyramidal cell

Inner pyramidal layer

Large pyramidal cell >>,
stelate cells

Multiform layer
Martinotti cells
Fusiform cells

Important neurons of the cerebrum

are pyramidal neurons

The largest motor neurons in the

cerebral cortex are those found in the
fifth stratum of the cortex

Cerebellum
Coordination & Balance
Grey matter
Cerebellar cortex
Folding cortex folia
Neuronal cell bodies & Glial cell

White matter
Medulla
Bundles of myelinated axon

PURKINJE cell

Cerebellar cortex
Molecular layer
Dendrite of Purkinje cell
Unmyelinated axon
Stellate cell
Basket cell

(Purkinje cell layer)

Inhibitory output (GABA
NT)
Basket cell

Granular layer
Small granule cell :
Glomeruli (cerebellar
islands)

Cerebellar
cortex

Purkinje cell

Purkinje cell

Spinal cord

Unlike the cerebrum and cerebellum, in the spinal cord the gray
matter is internal, forming a roughly H-shaped structure that consists
of two posterior (P) horns (sensory) and two anterior (A) (motor)
horns all joined by the gray commissure around the central canal

Internal anatomy of the spinal cord :

The organization of gray matter and white matter
Grey matter
Inner part
Butterfly-shaped
Central canal
Anterior horn (motor)
Posterior horn (sensory)
Neuronal cell bodies
Neuroglial cells

White matter
Outer part
Axons (mostly myelinated)

A cross section of spinal cord shows the

transition between white matter (left) and
gray matter (right)

Comparison of Various Spinal Cord

Segments

The skull and the vertebral column protect the CNS

Between the bone and nervous tissue are membranes of
connective tissue called the meninges

Meninges

Meninges
Duramater
Dense connective tissue
Periosteal duramater
Meningeal duramater
Epidural space
Subdural space
Arachnoid
Trabecular meshwork
Subarachnoid spaceCSF
Arachnoid villi

Piamater
Thin layer of loose
connective tissue
Close to brain tissue
but not contact
Fibroblast

Meninges

Meninges in spinal cord

Meninges in spinal cord

BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER :
a system of tight junctions in
the endothelial cells of brain
capillaries that form a semipermeable membrane,
allowing only certain
substances to enter the
brain

Neuroglia

Oligodendro
cyte

Most
capillaries in
the body

Brain capillaries
(BBB)

Astrocyte

Ependyma
Neuron

Microglia

Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) is formed

by:
1. Astrocyte end feet
2. Basal membran
2. Endothelial cells (of brain
capillary)

Blood brain barrier

Choroid plexus

The choroid plexus consists of highly specialized regions of CNS tissue

containing ependyma cells and vascularized piamater
that project from specific walls of the ventricles

Choroid plexus
Section of the bilateral
choroid plexus (CP)
projecting into the fourth
ventricle (V) near the
cerebrum and cerebellum
It is elaborately folded with
many finger-like villi

Choroid plexus

each villus is seen to be well-vascularized with capillaries (C) and covered by a

continuous layer of ependymal cells (arrow)

transport of water and ions across the

capillary endothelium and ependymal
layer and the elaboration of these as CSF

Peripheral nervous
system
Ganglia
Cluster of soma
Satellite cell

Nerve fiber
Bundles of myelinated & unmyelinated axon
Supported with connective tissue
Motor & sensory nerve fibers

Nerve endings
Receptors

Peripheral nervous
system

Ganglia
Ganglia are typically ovoid structures
containing neuronal cell bodies and glial
cells supported by connective tissue
A. Dorsal root ganglia/sensory
ganglia/spinal ganglia
B. Autonomic ganglia

Sensory ganglia

Unipolar cell bodies

receive afferent impulses that go to the CNS

associated with both cranial nerves (cranial
ganglia) and the dorsal root of the spinal nerves
(spinal ganglia)
The large neuronal cell bodies of ganglia are
associated with thin, sheet-like extensions of
small glial cells called satellite cells

Autonomic ganglia
Sympathetic ganglia
Multipolar cell bodies
Nuclei eccentric + lipofuchsin granule
Less satelite cells
Parasympathetic ganglia
Near effector organ

GANGLION CELL

A sensory ganglion (G) has a distinct connective tissue capsule (C) and internal
framework continuous with the epineurium and other components of peripheral nerves,
except that no perineurium is present and there is no blood-nerve barrier function.
Fascicles of nerve fibers (F) enter and leave these ganglia. X56. Luxol fast blue.

pinal Ganglion

Higher magnification shows the

small, rounded nuclei of glia cells
called satellite cells (S) which
produce thin, sheet-like cytoplasmic
extensions that completely
envelope each large neuronal
perikaryon, some containing
lipofuscin (L). X400. H&E

Sympathetic Ganglion

Immunostained satellite cells form thin sheets (S) surrounding neuronal cell bodies
(N). Like the effect of Schwann cells on axons, satellite glial cells insulate, nourish,
and regulate the microenvironment of the neuronal cell bodies. X1000. Rhodamine
red-labeled antibody against glutamine synthetase

Parasympathetic Ganglion

Parasympathetic Ganglion

Nerve fiber & supporting tissue

Nerve fiber
Bundles of myelinated & unmyelinated axon

Supporting tissue

Epineurium
outer sheath of fibrocollageneous tissue
Perineurium
surrounds groups of axons and endoneurium to form a
small bundles (fascicles)
Endoneurium
surrounds individual axons and their associated
Schwann cells as well as capillary blood vessels

Nerve
Sheath
Groups of fibers
are bound
together into
bundles
(fascicles) by a
perineurium
All the fascicles
of a nerve are
enclosed by a
epineurium
Each axon is
surrounded by
an
endoneurium

Nerve fibers

Nerve fibers

Nerve fibers

Classification of
receptors

Classification of
receptors

Classification of
receptors

Structure and location of sensory receptors

in the skin and subcutaneous layer

Receptors
MEISSNERS
CORPUSCLE

MERKELS
CORPUSCLE

Mechanoreceptor

Mechanoreceptor

Capsule (+)

Capsule (-)

Lamellae of
fibroblast &
Schwann cell

Merkel cell & Merkel

disks

Dermal papilla

Epidermis

Receptors
Mechanoreceptor :
PACCINIANS
pressure
CORPUSCLE
Capsule (+)
Lamellae of
fibroblast +
schwann cell
Hipodermis,
dermis,
periosteum, joints
capsule, visceral
organs

FREE NERVE
ENDINGS
Nociceptor
Capsule (-)
Branches of
unmyelinated
nerve fiber
Dermis

Receptors
RUFFINIANS
CORPUSCLE

KRAUSES
ENDBULB

Mechanoreceptor

Mechanoreceptor

Capsule (-)

Capsule (+)

Branches of
unmyelinated nerve
fiber

Bulb formed by
intracapsular fluid

Dermis, hipodermis,
joints capsule

Genitals, conjunctiva,
oral cavity, nasal
cavity, peritoneum

Recept
or

Pacinian corpuscles

Krausse endbulb

Two types of proprioceptors :

a muscle spindle and a tendon organ
In muscle spindles, which monitor changes in skeletal
muscle length, sensory nerve endings wrap around the
central portion of intrafusal muscle fibers
In tendon organs, which monitor the force of muscle
contraction, sensory nerve endings are activated by
increasing tension on a tendon
The Golgi tendon organs = neurotendinous organs

Muscle
spindle

Free nerve endings

Golgi Tendon Organ

Golgi Tendon Organ

THE SPECIAL SENSES

Sensory organs have special receptors that
allow us to smell, taste, see, hear, and
maintain equilibrium or balance
Information conveyed from these receptors
to the central nervous system is used to
help maintain homeostasis

References
Bloom & Fawcett. A textbook of
Histology.Chapman & Hall.
Bergman, RA; Afifi, AK; Heidger, PM. Histology. WB
Saunders Company.
Junqueira, LC, Carneiro,J & Kelly RO. Basic
Histology. Appleton & Lange.
Young, B & Heath JW. Wheathers Functional
Histology: a text and colour atlas.
Gartner, LP & Hiatt, JL. Color Textbook of
Histology, 2nd Edition. WB. Saunders Company

Thank you