Supporting Cells PDF
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Summary
This document details the functions and structure of supporting cells, also known as neuroglia or glial cells, within the nervous system. The different types of cells are categorized, and their roles in various processes are highlighted. This information outlines structural support and metabolic pathways for neural function, and provides a general view of supporting cells' roles within neurons and the central nervous system.
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In the NS, supporting cells are collectively called neuroglia, or simply glial cells (from Greek glia= glue). The term neuroglia (or glia) traditionally refers to the supporting cells of the PNS and CNS They remove toxic debris within the brain and secrete anti-inflammatory factors Provid...
In the NS, supporting cells are collectively called neuroglia, or simply glial cells (from Greek glia= glue). The term neuroglia (or glia) traditionally refers to the supporting cells of the PNS and CNS They remove toxic debris within the brain and secrete anti-inflammatory factors Provide metabolic and structural support to the neurons That are essential for the structural integrity of nervous system and for normal functioning of neurons for the health of neurons! Glia include the following: Astrocytes have extensions that surround both blood capillaries & neurons Microglia cells are phagocytic. Remove waste material & other microor- ganisms that could prove harmful to the neuron, spread in areas of brain damage & remove toxic materials. Migrate through the CNS and phagocytosis the foreign & degenerated material; Immune cells of CNS Oligdendrocytes & Schwann cells- build the myelin sheath that surrounds the axon of some neurons. Radial glia- guide the migration of neurons and the growth of their axons and dendrites during embryological development Ependymal cells -Form epithelial line ventricles (cavities) of brain and the central canal of the spinal cord. Form choroid plexuses structures that produce cerebrospinal fluid Astrocytes have other extensions adjacent to the synapses between axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite or cell body of another neuron Appear to be needed for the formation of synapses in the CNS. Summaries Supporting cells assist the functions of neurons Oligodendrocytes produce myelin sheaths that insulate certain vertebrate axons in the central nervous system; The oligodendrocyte forming a segment of myelin sheath for many axons (compare to pns); Schwann cells have a similar function in the periphery. Astrocytes pass chemicals back and forth between neurons and blood and among neighboring neurons. Microglia proliferate in areas of brain damage and remove toxic materials. Radial glia guide the migration of neurons during embryological development. Glia have MANY functions as well
