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Questions and Answers
Which two major categories of cells make up the nervous system?
Which two major categories of cells make up the nervous system?
What is the function of dendritic spines in cell-to-cell information transfer?
What is the function of dendritic spines in cell-to-cell information transfer?
Which type of glia wraps axons with myelin sheath to increase the speed of information propagation?
Which type of glia wraps axons with myelin sheath to increase the speed of information propagation?
Which type of cell in the nervous system is responsible for engulfing damaged cells and debris?
Which type of cell in the nervous system is responsible for engulfing damaged cells and debris?
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What are the two major categories of cells in the nervous system?
What are the two major categories of cells in the nervous system?
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Which type of neuronal process is typically close to the soma?
Which type of neuronal process is typically close to the soma?
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What is the function of dendritic spines in cell-to-cell information transfer?
What is the function of dendritic spines in cell-to-cell information transfer?
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Which type of glia wraps axons with myelin sheath to increase the speed of information propagation?
Which type of glia wraps axons with myelin sheath to increase the speed of information propagation?
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Where are astrocytes primarily found in the nervous system?
Where are astrocytes primarily found in the nervous system?
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What is the role of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the nervous system?
What is the role of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the nervous system?
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What is the function of microglia in the nervous system?
What is the function of microglia in the nervous system?
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What are the specialized structures at the ends of axons that participate in the transfer of information between neurons?
What are the specialized structures at the ends of axons that participate in the transfer of information between neurons?
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What constitutes the white matter in the CNS?
What constitutes the white matter in the CNS?
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Which two major categories of cells make up the nervous system?
Which two major categories of cells make up the nervous system?
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What is the function of microglia in the nervous system?
What is the function of microglia in the nervous system?
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What are the specialized structures at the ends of axons that participate in the transfer of information between neurons?
What are the specialized structures at the ends of axons that participate in the transfer of information between neurons?
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What is the role of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the nervous system?
What is the role of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the nervous system?
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Where are astrocytes primarily found in the nervous system?
Where are astrocytes primarily found in the nervous system?
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What is the function of dendritic spines in cell-to-cell information transfer?
What is the function of dendritic spines in cell-to-cell information transfer?
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What constitutes the white matter in the CNS?
What constitutes the white matter in the CNS?
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Which type of cell in the nervous system is responsible for engulfing damaged cells and debris?
Which type of cell in the nervous system is responsible for engulfing damaged cells and debris?
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Which type of neuronal process is typically close to the soma?
Which type of neuronal process is typically close to the soma?
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What constitutes the gray matter in the CNS?
What constitutes the gray matter in the CNS?
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Which theory of the nervous system did Camillo Golgi support?
Which theory of the nervous system did Camillo Golgi support?
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Who refuted the reticular theory and supported the neuron doctrine?
Who refuted the reticular theory and supported the neuron doctrine?
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What did Santiago Ramón y Cajal use to refute Golgi's theory?
What did Santiago Ramón y Cajal use to refute Golgi's theory?
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What did the reticular theory propose about the nervous system?
What did the reticular theory propose about the nervous system?
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Which neurobiologist made important contributions to science including the discovery of the Golgi apparatus?
Which neurobiologist made important contributions to science including the discovery of the Golgi apparatus?
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What did the Golgi staining method enable for the first time?
What did the Golgi staining method enable for the first time?
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What did Santiago Ramón y Cajal's analysis say about Golgi's interpretations?
What did Santiago Ramón y Cajal's analysis say about Golgi's interpretations?
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What did Golgi's staining method reveal about dendritic trees?
What did Golgi's staining method reveal about dendritic trees?
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What is the term used to describe the sites at which signals flow from one neuron to another?
What is the term used to describe the sites at which signals flow from one neuron to another?
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Who were the most influential neurobiologists of their time and shared the 1906 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine?
Who were the most influential neurobiologists of their time and shared the 1906 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine?
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Study Notes
Major Categories of Cells
- Nervous system is composed of two main cell types: neurons and glial cells (glia).
- Neurons transmit information, while glial cells provide support and protection.
Dendritic Spines
- Dendritic spines facilitate cell-to-cell information transfer by increasing the surface area for synaptic connections.
- They are critical for synaptic plasticity, influencing learning and memory.
Myelination
- Oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) wrap axons with myelin sheath.
- Myelination speeds up the propagation of electrical signals along the axon.
Clean-up Function
- Microglia are the principal immune cells in the nervous system responsible for engulfing damaged cells and debris.
Neuronal Processes
- Axons, which transmit signals away from the soma (cell body), are typically longer processes, while dendrites are shorter and often located close to the soma.
Location of Astrocytes
- Astrocytes are primarily found in the CNS, playing roles in metabolic support, maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity, and regulating ion balance.
Role of Oligodendrocytes and Schwann Cells
- Oligodendrocytes myelinate multiple axons in the CNS while Schwann cells myelinate individual axons in the PNS, enhancing signal conduction efficiency.
Neuronal Signal Transfer
- Synapses are specialized structures at the ends of axons that facilitate the transfer of information between neurons.
White and Gray Matter
- White matter in the CNS consists predominantly of myelinated axons, whereas gray matter contains neuron cell bodies and unmyelinated axons.
Reticular Theory vs. Neuron Doctrine
- Camillo Golgi supported the reticular theory, proposing a continuous network of interconnected neurons.
- Santiago Ramón y Cajal refuted the reticular theory, advocating the neuron doctrine, which states that neurons are individual cells communicating at synapses.
- Cajal utilized Golgi's staining method to demonstrate distinct neuron morphology, undermining Golgi's theory.
Analyses and Contributions
- Golgi's staining technique allowed the visualization of individual neurons for the first time, revolutionizing neuroanatomy.
- Golgi revealed intricate dendritic trees through his staining method, highlighting their complexity.
- The term synapse describes the junctions where signals are transferred between neurons.
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- Golgi and Cajal, influential neurobiologists, shared the 1906 Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work in understanding neuronal structure and function.
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Description
Test your knowledge of the nervous system and its components, including neurons and glia. Learn about the different processes of neurons, such as axons and dendrites, and their functions in transmitting signals.
