Neuroglial Cells in Nervous System

Study Notes

Neuroglia, or glial cells, are supporting cells in the PNS and CNS that provide structural and metabolic support to neurons.
They remove toxic debris and secrete anti-inflammatory factors, ensuring the health of neurons and maintaining the structural integrity of the nervous system.

Astrocytes:
- Have extensions that surround both blood capillaries and neurons.
- Have extensions adjacent to synapses, appearing to be necessary for the formation of synapses in the CNS.
- Pass chemicals back and forth between neurons and blood and among neighboring neurons.
Microglia:
- Are phagocytic cells that remove waste material and other microorganisms that could harm neurons.
- Migrate through the CNS, phagocytosing foreign and degenerated material, and are considered immune cells of the CNS.
Oligodendrocytes:
- Build the myelin sheath that surrounds the axon of some neurons in the CNS.
- Produce myelin sheaths that insulate certain vertebrate axons.
Schwann cells:
- Have a similar function to oligodendrocytes, building the myelin sheath that surrounds the axon of some neurons in the PNS.
Radial glia:
- Guide the migration of neurons and the growth of their axons and dendrites during embryological development.
Ependymal cells:
- Form the epithelial lining of ventricles (cavities) in the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord.
- Form choroid plexuses structures that produce cerebrospinal fluid.