Nervous Tissue & Glial Cells QUESTIONS WITH
WELL VERIFIED ANSWERS
A. Nervous Tissue Fundamentals
1. Q: What are the two major cellular components of nervous tissue?
A: Neurons and neuroglial cells (glia).
2. Q: What is the primary function of neurons?
A: Receiving, processing, and transmitting electrical and chemical signals.
3. Q: What is the primary role of glial cells?
A: Supporting, protecting, nourishing, insulating, and regulating neurons.
4. Q: What are the two major divisions of the nervous system?
A: Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).
5. Q: What structures comprise the CNS?
A: The brain and spinal cord.
6. Q: What structures comprise the PNS?
A: Cranial nerves, spinal nerves, ganglia, and peripheral nerve endings.
7. Q: What is gray matter primarily composed of?
A: Neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and axons, together with glial cells and blood
vessels.
,8. Q: What is white matter primarily composed of?
A: Myelinated axons and associated glial cells.
9. Q: What gives white matter its pale appearance?
A: The lipid-rich myelin surrounding many axons.
10. Q: What gives gray matter its darker appearance?
A: The concentration of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and relatively less myelin.
11. Q: What is neuropil?
A: The dense network of neuronal and glial processes between neuronal cell bodies in CNS gray
matter.
12. Q: What is neuroglia?
A: The collective term for glial cells.
13. Q: Do glial cells have important functions beyond structural support?
A: Yes. They regulate homeostasis, neurotransmitter levels, myelination, immune responses,
and other aspects of neural function.
14. Q: Do neurons and glia perform identical functions?
A: No. Neurons specialize in signaling, whereas glia perform numerous supportive, regulatory,
insulating, and immune functions.
15. Q: Can many glial cells divide?
A: Yes. Many glial cells retain mitotic capacity, particularly in response to injury.
, B. Neuron Structure
16. Q: What is the soma?
A: The cell body of a neuron.
17. Q: What is another name for the neuronal cell body?
A: Soma or perikaryon.
18. Q: What is the primary function of dendrites?
A: Receiving signals from other neurons or sensory receptors.
19. Q: What is the primary function of the axon?
A: Conducting electrical signals away from the neuronal cell body.
20. Q: What are axon terminals?
A: Specialized endings of axons that communicate with other cells at synapses.
21. Q: What is a synapse?
A: A specialized junction through which a neuron communicates with another cell.
22. Q: What is the axon hillock?
A: The region of the neuronal soma where the axon originates.
23. Q: What is the initial segment of the axon?
WELL VERIFIED ANSWERS
A. Nervous Tissue Fundamentals
1. Q: What are the two major cellular components of nervous tissue?
A: Neurons and neuroglial cells (glia).
2. Q: What is the primary function of neurons?
A: Receiving, processing, and transmitting electrical and chemical signals.
3. Q: What is the primary role of glial cells?
A: Supporting, protecting, nourishing, insulating, and regulating neurons.
4. Q: What are the two major divisions of the nervous system?
A: Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).
5. Q: What structures comprise the CNS?
A: The brain and spinal cord.
6. Q: What structures comprise the PNS?
A: Cranial nerves, spinal nerves, ganglia, and peripheral nerve endings.
7. Q: What is gray matter primarily composed of?
A: Neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and axons, together with glial cells and blood
vessels.
,8. Q: What is white matter primarily composed of?
A: Myelinated axons and associated glial cells.
9. Q: What gives white matter its pale appearance?
A: The lipid-rich myelin surrounding many axons.
10. Q: What gives gray matter its darker appearance?
A: The concentration of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and relatively less myelin.
11. Q: What is neuropil?
A: The dense network of neuronal and glial processes between neuronal cell bodies in CNS gray
matter.
12. Q: What is neuroglia?
A: The collective term for glial cells.
13. Q: Do glial cells have important functions beyond structural support?
A: Yes. They regulate homeostasis, neurotransmitter levels, myelination, immune responses,
and other aspects of neural function.
14. Q: Do neurons and glia perform identical functions?
A: No. Neurons specialize in signaling, whereas glia perform numerous supportive, regulatory,
insulating, and immune functions.
15. Q: Can many glial cells divide?
A: Yes. Many glial cells retain mitotic capacity, particularly in response to injury.
, B. Neuron Structure
16. Q: What is the soma?
A: The cell body of a neuron.
17. Q: What is another name for the neuronal cell body?
A: Soma or perikaryon.
18. Q: What is the primary function of dendrites?
A: Receiving signals from other neurons or sensory receptors.
19. Q: What is the primary function of the axon?
A: Conducting electrical signals away from the neuronal cell body.
20. Q: What are axon terminals?
A: Specialized endings of axons that communicate with other cells at synapses.
21. Q: What is a synapse?
A: A specialized junction through which a neuron communicates with another cell.
22. Q: What is the axon hillock?
A: The region of the neuronal soma where the axon originates.
23. Q: What is the initial segment of the axon?
