Axons Pins and Buttons

Peripheral nerve. Light micrograph of a section through non-myelinated nerve fibres (axons) aggregated to form a peripheral nerve with a sinusoidal or wave-like organization. This pattern reflects the capacity of the whole nerve bundle to be somewhat flexible and deformable and turn in its course through the supporting connective tissue (epineurium, stained blue). Nuclei associated with the nerve fibres are Schwann cells and fibroblasts. Magnification: x83 when printed at 10 centimetres across.

Brain synapses. Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a section through brain tissue showing a number of synapses. A synapse is a junction between two nerve cells. At a synapse an electrical signal is transmitted from one cell to the next in only one direction. When the signal reaches a synapse it triggers the release of neurotransmitter chemicals from synaptic vesicles (red) at the end of the presynaptic cell. The neurotransmitters cross a microscopic gap and bind to receptors on the post-synaptic cell, triggering an impulse in that cell. Magnification: 30,000 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

Nerve cells. Light micrograph of nerve cells (neurones) from the cerebral cortex of the brain. These cells are from the hippocampus, part of the cerebral cortex concerned with memory. The hippocampus is rich in pyramidal cells such as these, which have numerous dendrites (right) trailing from one end of their cell body (dark areas) and one axon projecting from the other (left). Dendrites form junctions communicating with other cells, and signals are then relayed through the cell's axon.

Cerebral cortex nerve cells. Light micrograph of a section through neurones (nerve cells, black) in the cerebral cortex of a human brain. Branching processes (dendrites) receive impulses from other nerve cells and pass them to the cell body. Each cell body also has an axon through which it relays nerve impulses to the dendrites of other neurones. Neurones allow information to be received, interpreted and relayed around the body. The grey matter of the cerebral cortex forms the outer layer of the brain that is responsible for conscious thought, memory and language.

Cerebellum structure. Fluorescent light micrograph of a section through the highly-folded cerebellum of the brain. The tissue has been tagged with fluorescent dyes: cell nuclei are red, neurofilaments are blue and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is green. Neurofilaments are structural proteins found in the axons (output processes) of neurons (nerve cells). The neurofilaments are concentrated in the inner white matter of the cerebellum. The cell nuclei are most abundant in the granular layer of the grey matter. The outer molecular layer of grey matter contains cell nuclei and glial cells rich in GFAP. Magnification: x40 when printed 10cm wide.

Muscle motor neurones. Light micrograph of dendrites (axons, black) from motor nerve cells (motor neurones) in muscle tissue (pink-purple strands). The nerve extensions branch out and end in structures known as motor end plates. Electrical impulses from the motor neurones trigger chemical changes at the end plates, causing the strands of muscle to contract. Magnification: x100 when printed at 10 centimetres across.

happy neuron

An interpretation of neurone interaction

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Brain cells with electrical firing. Unique Sci-Fi Art