Nervous System Questions Ch 12, 13,
14 Final Exam and Actual Detailed
Answers 2025-2026 Updated.
Ch 12 - Nervous System, nerve tissue, nerve impulse conduction - Answer
What is the function of receptors?
What are the different types of effectors controlled by the nervous system? - Answer -
Receptors are specialized nervous system structures that monitor changes in both the internal
and external environment called stimuli
-Effectors include all three types of muscle tissue and glands.
What are the two primary functional divisions of the nervous system? How do they differ? -
Answer CNS and PNS-The nervous system can be subdivided functionally into the sensory and
motor subdivisions. The sensory subdivision is responsible for receiving sensory information
from receptors. The motor subdivision is responsible for stimulating effector organs such as
muscles or glands.
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous
system is made up of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the
body.
What are the three connective tissue wrappings in a nerve, and what specific structure does
each ensheathe? - Answer Individual axons in the PNS are surrounded by Schwann cells and
then wrapped in a delicate layer of loose connective tissue called the endoneurium. Groups of
axons are wrapped into bundles, called nerve fascicles, by a cellular dense irregular connective
tissue layer called the perineurium. All of the fascicles are bundled together by a superficial
dense irregular connective tissue covering termed the epineurium.
Describe five distinguishing features common to all neurons. - Answer Excitability,
Conductivity, Secretion (NT), Extreme Longevity, Amitotic, High Metabolic Rate
Describe the three basic anatomic features common to most neurons. - Answer cell body
(soma): enclosed by a plasma membrane and contains cytoplasm surrounding a nucleus
dendrites: relatively short, small, tapering, unmyelinated processes that branch off the cell
body.
axon: typically a longer process that stems from the cell body to make contact with other
, Chromatophilic substance: free and bound ribosomes that stain darkly and appear as gray
matter.
Dendrites: small processes that branch from cell body.
Axons: nerve fibers with telodendria at the end tipped with synaptic knobs and synaptic vesicles
that contain neurotransmitters.
Explain the neuron characteristics of excitability, conductivity and secretion. - Answer
excitability: neuronal membrane generates electrical activity in response to stimulation
conductivity: electrical charges propagated along membrane (flow like a wave)Secretion: release
neurotransmitters in response to stimulus
What are the functions of these neuron structures: dendrites, axon, synaptic vesicles, and
neurofibrils? - Answer dendrites: receive and conduct electrical signals toward the cell body
axon: projects to other neurons, muscle cells, or gland cells and transmits electrical signals to
these tissues synaptic vesicles. neurofilaments: provide structure and support
How are the different processes that extend from a cell body used to structurally classify
neurons? - Answer The four structural types of neurons are classified based on the number of
processes emanating directly from the cell body: Multipolar neurons have one axon and
multiple dendrites, whereas bipolar neurons have one axon and only one dendrite. A unipolar
neuron consists of only one axon that branches into two distinct ends. Anaxonic neurons
possess only dendrites and no axon.
Where are interneurons located, and what is their function? - Answer Most are found in the
brain and the spinal cord, and others are within the autonomic ganglia.
Define a synapse. - Answer a junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap
across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter.
Describe the essential structural and functional differences between a chemical synapse and an
electrical synapse. - Answer Chemical synapse: between two neurons is composed of a
presynaptic neuron (signal producer) and a postsynaptic neuron (signal receiver) that are
separate by a fluid-filled gap called a synaptic cleft. transmission between the two synapse
occurs when a neurotransmitter are released from synaptic vesicles. A synaptic delay occurs
between the neurotransmitter release, its diffusion across cleft, and its bonding to receptors.
14 Final Exam and Actual Detailed
Answers 2025-2026 Updated.
Ch 12 - Nervous System, nerve tissue, nerve impulse conduction - Answer
What is the function of receptors?
What are the different types of effectors controlled by the nervous system? - Answer -
Receptors are specialized nervous system structures that monitor changes in both the internal
and external environment called stimuli
-Effectors include all three types of muscle tissue and glands.
What are the two primary functional divisions of the nervous system? How do they differ? -
Answer CNS and PNS-The nervous system can be subdivided functionally into the sensory and
motor subdivisions. The sensory subdivision is responsible for receiving sensory information
from receptors. The motor subdivision is responsible for stimulating effector organs such as
muscles or glands.
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous
system is made up of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the
body.
What are the three connective tissue wrappings in a nerve, and what specific structure does
each ensheathe? - Answer Individual axons in the PNS are surrounded by Schwann cells and
then wrapped in a delicate layer of loose connective tissue called the endoneurium. Groups of
axons are wrapped into bundles, called nerve fascicles, by a cellular dense irregular connective
tissue layer called the perineurium. All of the fascicles are bundled together by a superficial
dense irregular connective tissue covering termed the epineurium.
Describe five distinguishing features common to all neurons. - Answer Excitability,
Conductivity, Secretion (NT), Extreme Longevity, Amitotic, High Metabolic Rate
Describe the three basic anatomic features common to most neurons. - Answer cell body
(soma): enclosed by a plasma membrane and contains cytoplasm surrounding a nucleus
dendrites: relatively short, small, tapering, unmyelinated processes that branch off the cell
body.
axon: typically a longer process that stems from the cell body to make contact with other
, Chromatophilic substance: free and bound ribosomes that stain darkly and appear as gray
matter.
Dendrites: small processes that branch from cell body.
Axons: nerve fibers with telodendria at the end tipped with synaptic knobs and synaptic vesicles
that contain neurotransmitters.
Explain the neuron characteristics of excitability, conductivity and secretion. - Answer
excitability: neuronal membrane generates electrical activity in response to stimulation
conductivity: electrical charges propagated along membrane (flow like a wave)Secretion: release
neurotransmitters in response to stimulus
What are the functions of these neuron structures: dendrites, axon, synaptic vesicles, and
neurofibrils? - Answer dendrites: receive and conduct electrical signals toward the cell body
axon: projects to other neurons, muscle cells, or gland cells and transmits electrical signals to
these tissues synaptic vesicles. neurofilaments: provide structure and support
How are the different processes that extend from a cell body used to structurally classify
neurons? - Answer The four structural types of neurons are classified based on the number of
processes emanating directly from the cell body: Multipolar neurons have one axon and
multiple dendrites, whereas bipolar neurons have one axon and only one dendrite. A unipolar
neuron consists of only one axon that branches into two distinct ends. Anaxonic neurons
possess only dendrites and no axon.
Where are interneurons located, and what is their function? - Answer Most are found in the
brain and the spinal cord, and others are within the autonomic ganglia.
Define a synapse. - Answer a junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap
across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter.
Describe the essential structural and functional differences between a chemical synapse and an
electrical synapse. - Answer Chemical synapse: between two neurons is composed of a
presynaptic neuron (signal producer) and a postsynaptic neuron (signal receiver) that are
separate by a fluid-filled gap called a synaptic cleft. transmission between the two synapse
occurs when a neurotransmitter are released from synaptic vesicles. A synaptic delay occurs
between the neurotransmitter release, its diffusion across cleft, and its bonding to receptors.
