Study of the neurohistology of the brain and spinal cord will take place in Neuroscience, CHA 403. A. Neurons Neurons are the fundamental structural and functional unit in the nervous ssytem. Neurons have highly developed properties of irritability and conductivity due to specific membrane characteristics.
Neurons are fully differentiated cells which are usually incapable of cell division.
Neurons do not store energy as glycogen and thus require a constant blood flow supplying glucose. The cell body or perikaryon contains a large, pale, euchromatic nucleus with a prominent nucleolus. Although the neuron is not a dividing cell, it is very active metabolically and thus demonstrates the cell organelles required for synthetic activity. A prominent Golgi apparatus and numerous mitochondria are also present. The centrosome present may be involved in microtubule formation.