Nervous tissue
Nervous tissue is distributed throughout the body as an integrated communication network. Two fundamental
functions are:
1. To detect, analyze, integrate and transmit all information generated by sensory stimuli and by
mechanical and chemical changes that take place in the internal and external environment
2. To organize and coordinate directly or indirectly most functions of the body especially the motor,
visceral, endocrine, and mental activities
Division of the nervous system
A. Central nervous system(CNS) - compromising the brain and spinal cord. CNS contains nerve cells and
supporting tissue neuroglia.
B. Peripheral nervous system (PNS) - all nervous tissue outside the CNS. PNS contains nerve fibers,
ganglia and the supporting tissue loose areolar connective tissue.
In addition the nervous system is further divided into
, A. Somatic nervous system - involved in voluntary functions
B. Autonomic nervous system - involved in involuntary functions
Unit structure of nervous tissue is the nerve cell/ neuron or neurocytes. The system contains at least 10
billion neurons. Structurally NT consists of two cell type classifications:
● Nerve cells - shows numerous processes
● several types of glial cells or neuroglial cells which support and protect neurons and participate in
neutral activity, neural nutrient and defense processes of the central nervous tissue
Meninges - connective tissue covering of the brain and spinal cord
cells of the nervous tissue
● neurons
Consists of the cell body(perikaryon) together with all of its processes up to their peripheral terminations.
Found in gray matter of CNS. These cells are large and complex in shape. Size is about 4 to 400 diameters.
The shape of a neuron depends on the number of cell processes.
Nervous tissue is distributed throughout the body as an integrated communication network. Two fundamental
functions are:
1. To detect, analyze, integrate and transmit all information generated by sensory stimuli and by
mechanical and chemical changes that take place in the internal and external environment
2. To organize and coordinate directly or indirectly most functions of the body especially the motor,
visceral, endocrine, and mental activities
Division of the nervous system
A. Central nervous system(CNS) - compromising the brain and spinal cord. CNS contains nerve cells and
supporting tissue neuroglia.
B. Peripheral nervous system (PNS) - all nervous tissue outside the CNS. PNS contains nerve fibers,
ganglia and the supporting tissue loose areolar connective tissue.
In addition the nervous system is further divided into
, A. Somatic nervous system - involved in voluntary functions
B. Autonomic nervous system - involved in involuntary functions
Unit structure of nervous tissue is the nerve cell/ neuron or neurocytes. The system contains at least 10
billion neurons. Structurally NT consists of two cell type classifications:
● Nerve cells - shows numerous processes
● several types of glial cells or neuroglial cells which support and protect neurons and participate in
neutral activity, neural nutrient and defense processes of the central nervous tissue
Meninges - connective tissue covering of the brain and spinal cord
cells of the nervous tissue
● neurons
Consists of the cell body(perikaryon) together with all of its processes up to their peripheral terminations.
Found in gray matter of CNS. These cells are large and complex in shape. Size is about 4 to 400 diameters.
The shape of a neuron depends on the number of cell processes.
