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Related Concept Videos

Neuron Structure01:31

Neuron Structure

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Neuron Structure01:30

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Neurons are the main type of cell in the nervous system that generate and transmit electrochemical signals. They primarily communicate with each other using neurotransmitters at specific junctions called synapses. Neurons come in many shapes that often relate to their function, but most share three main structures: an axon and dendrites that extend out from a cell body.
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Axons are long, cytoplasmic processes of nerve cells capable of propagating electrical impulses known as action potentials. The cytoplasm or axoplasm of an axon contains neurofibrils, neurotubules, small vesicles, lysosomes, mitochondria, and various enzymes, all encased within the axolemma, the plasma membrane of the axon.
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In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...
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Neurons: The Cell Body and the Dendrites01:23

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A typical nerve cell comprises three main components: the cell body, dendrites, and the axon. The cell body, also known as the soma or perikaryon, serves as the central biosynthetic hub housing a nucleus surrounded by cytoplasm containing organelles commonly found in most cells. Notably, Nissl bodies, clusters of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes responsible for protein synthesis, are distinctive features of the neuronal cell body. As neurons age, aggregates of a brown pigment...
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Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

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Binucleated and Multinucleated Neurons are Formed by Fusion.

Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine·2021
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Lubinska Phenomenon: Simultaneous Bidirectional Axoplasmic Flow in Nerve Fibers.

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[Contractile Tone and Contraction as Important Physiological Properties of Terminals on the Processes of Living Neurons].

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[Simultaneous opposite axonal currents in neural process. Retraction hypothesis].

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Contractile activity of living isolated neurons and its inhibition by cytochalasin B.

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[Interdependent changes of the axon and Schwann cell in the process of reactive remodeling of a myelinated nerve fiber].

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[ISOMETRIC RETRACTION AND THE INVISIBLE PROCESSES OF NERVE CELLS].

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    Nerve cells exhibit a reversible "disappearance" of apical dendrites, explained by isometric retraction. This phenomenon, observed in neurons and neuroblastoma cells, involves neuroplasm flow causing temporary invisibility under light microscopy.

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    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Cell Biology
    • Biophysics

    Context:

    • Physiological studies on stress and hibernation have noted the rapid disappearance and reappearance of apical dendrites in brain neurons.
    • This morphological change in pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex has remained unexplained.

    Purpose:

    • To explain the phenomenon of apical dendrite disappearance and reappearance using morphological analysis.
    • To investigate the role of neuroplasm elasticity and structural kinetics in living neurons.

    Summary:

    • A new physiological phenomenon, isometric retraction of nerve cell processes, is described.
    • Neuroplasm displacement causes bidirectional flow, leading to thinning and potential submicroscopic invisibility of processes.
    • Reversible "disappearance" and "appearance" were demonstrated in cultured neurons and C-1300 neuroblastoma cells, explaining the observed dendritic plasticity.

    Impact:

    • Provides a novel explanation for reversible dendritic changes observed in neurons.
    • Suggests that "invisible processes" due to isometric retraction may be a common mechanism in neuronal plasticity.
    • Highlights the importance of neuroplasm dynamics in understanding neuronal morphology and function under physiological stress.