Chapter 5, Problem 25P

Summary Introduction

To distinguish:

Between neurons and neuroglia.

Introduction:

Nervous tissue is a component of the central and peripheral nervous systems. They serve the function of communication between cells. Neurons and neuroglia form an integral part of the nervous tissue.

Neurons are the specialized nerve cells which function to transmit messages between cells. They are of three types namely:sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons. The structure of neurons consists of dendrites, axons, and cell body. They altogether function in signal transmission to the neighboring cells.

Neuroglia is the cells which support neurons in their function. Different types of neuroglia are present in different nervous systems, which are:astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglial, and ependymal cells in the central nervous system, and Schwann cells and satellite cells in the peripheral nervous system.