NEURON-STRUCTURE AND

CLASSIFICATION
BY- Dr. PRASHU JAIN
 DEFINITION
• Neuron or nerve cell is defined as the structural and
functional unit of nervous system.
• Neuron is similar to any other cell in the body, having
nucleus and all the organelles in cytoplasm.
However, it is different from other cells by two ways:
1. Neuron has branches or processes called axon and
dendrites
2. Neuron does not have centrosome. So, it cannot
undergo division.
 CLASSIFICATION OF NEURON

Neurons are classified by three different

methods.
• A. Depending upon the number of poles
• B. Depending upon the function
• C. Depending upon the length of axon.
 DEPENDING UPON THE NUMBER OF POLES

1. Unipolar Neurons
Unipolar neurons are the neurons that have only one pole. From a single
pole, both axon and dendrite arise . This type of nerve cells is present
only in embryonic stage in human beings.
2. Bipolar Neurons
Neurons with two poles are known as bipolar neurons. Axon arises from
one pole and dendrites arise from the other pole.
3. Multipolar Neurons
Multipolar neurons are the neurons which have many poles. One of the
poles gives rise to axon and all other poles give rise to dendrites.
 DEPENDING UPON THE FUNCTION

1. Motor or Efferent Neurons

Motor or efferent neurons are the neurons which carry the motor
impulses from central nervous system to peripheral effector organs
like muscles, glands, blood vessels, etc. Generally, each motor
neuron has a long axon and short dendrites.
2. Sensory or Afferent Neurons
Sensory or afferent neurons are the neurons which carry the
sensory impulses from periphery to central nervous system.
Generally, each sensory neuron has a short axon and long dendrites.
 DEPENDING UPON THE LENGTH OF AXON

1. Golgi Type I Neurons

• Golgi type I neurons have long axons. Cell body of these
neurons is in different parts of central nervous system and
their axons reach the remote peripheral organs.
2. Golgi Type II Neurons
• Neurons of this type have short axons. These neurons are
present in cerebral cortex and spinal cord.
 STRUCTURE OF NEURON

Neuron is made up
of three parts:
1. Nerve cell body
(SOMA)
2. Dendrite
3. Axon
 NERVE CELL BODY
• Nerve cell body is also known as soma or perikaryon.
• It is irregular in shape.
• Like any other cell, it is constituted by a mass of cytoplasm called
neuroplasm, which is covered by a cell membrane.
• The cytoplasm contains a large nucleus, Nissl bodies, neurofibrils,
mitochondria
and Golgi apparatus.
• Nissl bodies and neurofibrils are found only in nerve cell and not in
other cells.
NUCLEUS
• Each neuron has one nucleus, which is centrally placed in
the nerve cell body.
• Nucleus has one or two prominent nucleoli.
• Nucleus does not contain centrosome. So, the nerve cell
cannot multiply like other cells.
NISSL BODIES
• Nissl bodies or Nissl granules are small basophilic granules
found in cytoplasm of neurons.
• These bodies are present in soma and dendrite but not in
axon and axon hillock.
• Nissl bodies are membranous organelles containing
ribosomes. So, these bodies are concerned with synthesis of
proteins in the neurons.
NEUROFIBRILS
• Neurofibrils are thread-like structures present in the form of
network in the soma and the nerve processes.
• Presence of neurofibrils is another characteristic feature of
the neurons.
• The neurofibrils consist of microfilaments and microtubules.
MITOCHONDRIA
• Mitochondria are present in soma and in axon. As in other
cells, here also mitochondria form the powerhouse of the
nerve cell, where ATP is produced
GOLGI APPARATUS
• Golgi apparatus of nerve cell body is similar to that of other
cells. It is concerned with processing and packing of proteins
into granules
 DENDRITE
• Dendrite is the branched process of neuron and it is
branched repeatedly.
• Dendrite may be present or absent. If present, it
may be one or many in number.
• Dendrite has Nissl granules and neurofibrils.
• Dendrite transmits impulses towards the nerve cell
body.
• Usually, the dendrite is shorter than axon.
 AXON
• Axon is the longer process of nerve cell.
• Each neuron has only one axon.
• Axon arises from axon hillock of the nerve cell body
and it is devoid of Nissl granules.
• Axon extends for a long distance away from the
nerve cell body.
• Length of longest axon is about 1 meter.
• Axon transmits impulses away from the nerve cell
body.
 Organization of Nerve
• Each nerve is formed by many bundles
or groups of nerve fibers. Each bundle
of nerve fibers is called a
FASCICULUS.
• The whole nerve is covered by tubular
sheath, which is formed by a areolar
membrane. This sheath is called
EPINEURIUM.
• Each fasciculus is covered by
PERINEURIUM
• and each nerve fiber (axon) is covered
by ENDONEURIUM
 Internal Structure of Axon – Axis Cylinder
• Axon has a long central core of cytoplasm called axoplasm.
• Axoplasm is covered by the tubular sheathlike membrane called axolemma.
Axolemma is the continuation of the cell membrane of nerve cell body.
• Axoplasm along with axolemma is called the axis cylinder of the nerve fiber.
• Axoplasm contains mitochondria, neurofibrils and axoplasmic vesicles. Because
of the absence of Nissl bodies in the axon, proteins necessary for the nerve
fibers are synthesized in the soma and not in axoplasm.
• After synthesis, the protein molecules are transported from soma to axon, by
means of axonal flow.
• Some neurotransmitter substances are also transported by axonal flow from
soma to axon.
• Axis cylinder of the nerve fiber is covered by a membrane called neurilemma
 MYELIN SHEATH
• Myelin sheath is a thick lipoprotein
sheath that insulates the myelinated
nerve fiber.
• Myelin sheath is not a continuous sheath.
It is absent at regular intervals
• The area where myelin sheath is absent
is called node of Ranvier.
• Segment of the nerve fiber between two
nodes is called internode.
• Myelin sheath is responsible for white
color of nerve fibers.
 Myelinated Nerve Fiber and Non-myelinated Nerve Fiber

Non-myelinated Nerve Fiber

• Nerve fiber described above is
the non-myelinated nerve
fiber, which is not covered by
myelin sheath
Myelinated Nerve Fiber
• Nerve fiber which is insulated
by myelin sheath is called
myelinated nerve fibers
Functions of Myelin Sheath
1. Faster conduction
Myelin sheath is responsible for faster
conduction of impulse through the nerve
fibers. In myelinated nerve fibers, the
impulses jump from one node to another
node. This type of transmission of
impulses is called saltatory conduction.

2. Insulating capacity
Myelin sheath has a high insulating
capacity. Because of this quality, myelin
sheath restricts the nerve impulse within
single nerve fiber and prevents the
stimulation of neighboring nerve fibers.
NEURILEMMA
• Neurilemma is a thin membrane, which surrounds the axis cylinder. It is also
called neurilemmal sheath or sheath of Schwann.
• It contains Schwann cells, which have flattened and elongated nuclei.
• Cytoplasm is thin and modified to form the thin sheath of neurilemma.
• In non-myelinated nerve fiber, the neurilemmal surrounds axolemma
continuously.
• In myelinated nerve fiber, it covers the myelin sheath.
• At the node of Ranvier (where myelin sheath is absent), neurilemmal
invaginates and runs up to axolemma in the form of a finger-like process.
FUNCTIONS OF NEURILEMMA
• In non-myelinated nerve fiber, the neurilemma serves as a covering
membrane.
• In myelinated nerve fiber, it is necessary for the formation of myelin sheath
(myelinogenesis).
• Neurilemma is absent in central nervous system. So, the neuroglial cells
called oligodendroglia are responsible for myelinogenesis in central nervous
system.