A&P I (BIOL 3320)

Nervous System Lab 5 Worksheet

Activity I. The Neuron. Read the information in Exercise 12-1 and label the following tructures
in the image below: Soma, Axon, Axon terminals, myelin, dendrite, dendritic branches, Node of
Ranvier, telodendria

Read exercise 12-2 in your lab book and complete Procedure 2 (copied from your lab book)
below.

Neuronal action potential reaches the axon terminal of neuron 1 ➔ depolarization of the axon

terminal triggers the opening of ______________________________ion channels ➔ these ions enter the

axon terminal causing ____________________________ to diffuse to the membrane and release

________________________________ from the axon terminal by __________________________________➔

______________________________________ diffuse across the ____________________________________ and bind to

__________________________________ on the postsynaptic membrane of neuron 2, generating an excitatory

local potential ➔ if the neuron is stimulated enough times, the excitatory local potentials

______________________________ and spread through the neuron’s plasma membrane toward the axon ➔

when the trigger zone is depolarized to _______________________________________ , an

_____________________________________________ is generated.
Complete Check your Recall Questions 4, 5, 6 and 7 below.

4. Where are synaptic vesicles located?

a. Axon terminals.
b. Dendrites.
c. Cell body.
d. Both a and b are correct.
e. All of the above.

5. Matching: Match the neuroglial cell with its correct function.

_____ Oligodendrocytes A. Create the myelin sheath in the PNS

_____ Astrocytes B. Ciliated cells in the CNS that form and circulate cerebrospinal fluid

_____ Microglial cells C. Surround the cell bodies of neurons in the PNS

_____ Schwann cells D. Anchor neurons and blood vessels, maintain extracellular
environment around neurons, assist in the formation of the blood-brain
barrier

_____ Satellite cells E. Phagocytic cells of the CNS

_____ Ependymal cells F. Form the myelin sheath in the CNS

6. Label the following structures on the figure below: internode, myelin, neurilemma, node of ranvier,
schwann cell, oligodendrocyte
7. Label the following structures on the figure below: presynaptic neuron, postsynaptic
neuron, neurotransmitters, receptors for neurotransmitters, synaptic vesicles, voltage gated
Ca+2 channel, synaptic cleft

Complete Check Your Understanding Questions 4 and 7 below:

4. Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease, in which the patient’s immune system attacks and destroys
the cells that form the myelin sheath in the central nervous system. What types of symptoms would you
expect from such a disease? Why? Would Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes be affected? Explain

7. Predict what would happen if the calcium ion channels in the axon terminal were blocked. Explain.
Activity 2: The Spinal Cord

Read Exercise 13-2. Identify the following structures on the spinal cord model and label the
images below. Match the structures with the correct location using your lab and lecture book.
Identify: Descriptions/Structures:
Dura mater of Spinal Cord A. Contains somatic and visceral sensory nuclei
Arachnoid mater of spinal cord B. Between dura mater and walls of vertebral
Pia mater of spinal cord canal
Ventral root of the cervical nerve C. Contains axons of motor neurons
Dorsal root of the cervical nerve D. Contains mostly myelinated and some
Dorsal (spinal) root ganglion unmyelinated axons
Central Canal E. Contains axons of sensory neurons
Ventral (anterior) horn F. Contains cell bodies of sensory neurons
Lateral horn G. Lined by ependymal cells which produce CSF
Dorsal (posterior) horn H. Contains visceral motor nuclei
Posterior median sulcus I. Contains somatic motor nuclei
Anterior median fissure
Posterior funiculus (column)
Epidural space
Identify the structures on the left image below: cervical enlargement, lumbar enlargement,
cauda equina, conus medullaris, filum terminale. Identify the four plexuses on the image on
the right using the information in exercise 14-3.
Read exercise 14-3. Fill out the table below with the following nerves in the correct locations:
Ansa Cervicalis, Axilliary, Femoral, Fibular, Genitofemoral, Great Auricular, Lateral Femoral
Cutaneous, Lesser Occipital, Median, Musculocutaneous, Phrenic, Pudendal, Radial, Sciatic,
Supraclavicular, Tibial, Transverse Cervical, Ulnar
PLEXUS/NERVE FUNCTION
Cervical Plexus Innervates neck, thoracic cavity, diaphragmatic muscles
and skin
• Motor nerve supply to diaphragm
• Motor – hyoid muscles of neck
• Sensory – skin of neck and scalp
• Sensory – skin of ear and neck
• Sensory – skin of neck
• Sensory – skin over shoulder and clavicle
Brachial Plexus Innervates pectoral girdle and upper limbs
• Motor nerve supply to flexor muscles on arm; sensory nerve
from skin on surface of forearm
• Motor nerve supply to deltoid, teres minor muscles; sensory
from skin on shoulder
• Motor supply to extensor muscles on arm and forearm;
sensory from skin on arm, forearm and hand
• Motor supply to flexor muscles on forearm; sensory from skin
on hand
• Motor to flexor muscles on forearm and small digital
muscles; sensory from skin on hand
Lumbar Plexus Innervates pelvic girdle and lower limbs
• Sensory from skin of thigh and external genitalia
• Sensory from skin over thigh
• Motor to anterior muscles of thigh; flexor and adductors of
hip; sensory from skin on thigh, leg and foot
Sacral Plexus Innervates pelvic girdle and lower limbs

• Motor to thigh, leg and foot muscles; sensory to skin of leg

and sole of foot.
• Motor to thigh, calf and foot muscles; sensory to skin of leg
and top of foot;
• Motor to muscles of perineum; Sensory to external genitalia
and anus
Complete Check Your Recall Questions 6 amd Check Your Understanding Questions 5 and 6 as
shown on the next page.

Check your Recall

6 Matching: Match each spinal nerve with the main structures it supplies.
______ Radial nerve
______ Inferior gluteal nerve
______ Obturator nerve
______ Phrenic nerve
______ Common fibular nerve
______ Intercostal nerves
______ Femoral nerve
A. Anterior and lateral leg muscles and skin
B. Medial thigh muscles, skin of the superomedial thigh
C. Abdominal muscles, skin of the abdomen
D. Muscles of the forearm that flex the hand, most intrinsic hand
muscles, skin on medial hand
E. Muscles on the posterior arm that extend the forearm, muscles
of the forearm that extend the hand, skin on lateral hand
F. Diaphragm muscle
G. Gluteus maximus muscle

______ Ulnar nerve H. Anterior thigh muscles, skin on anterior and medial thigh and leg

Check your Understanding

5 Damage to which spinal nerve(s) might produce the following physical findings?
a Inability to extend the forearm and hand _____________________________________________

b Inability to breathe _____________________________________________________________________

c Inability to feel the skin over the anterolateral thigh _______________________________________

d Inability to dorsiflex the foot _______________________________________________________________

6 Marta is an editor and she spends a great deal of time typing on her computer. She begins to feel numbness
and tingling in her anterior and lateral hands and weakness in the muscles of her forearm that flex her hand.
What nerve is likely involved in her problem, and what do you think has happened? Explain her symptoms.