Histology Photomicrographs

Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL& 241L-242L)
Karen Hart, Peninsula College

• Epithelial tissue
• Connective tissue proper
• Skin
• Cartilage and bone
• Skeletal muscle, smooth muscle
• Nervous system
  • Neurons and glia
  • Nerve cross section
  • Nerve longitudinal section
  • Spinal cord
  • Dorsal root ganglion
• Cardiovascular system
• Lymphatic system
• Respiratory system
• Digestive system
• Urinary system
• Reproductive system
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• Histology home page

Nervous system: Neurons and glia

This preparation of neural tissue from spinal cord shows large neurons which are probably somatic motor neurons. Each somatic motor neuron has an axon which extends out of the spinal cord in a nerve and branches to contact a number of skeletal muscle cells. Neuro-transmitter released by somatic motor neurons stimulates contraction of skeletal muscle cells.

Somatic motor neurons have a number of dendrites and a single axon extending from the cell body. It is not possible in this image to distinguish the axon from the dendrites. 

Glial cells, the supporting cells of neural tissue, are much smaller than somatic motor neurons. Glial cell nuclei are visible in the 400X images as small purple structures. 

cb = neuron cell body

n = nucleus of neuron

g = nucleus of glial cell