Basic neurochemistry : principles of molecular, cellular, and medical neurobiology

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Front Cover; Basic Neurochemistry: Principles of Molecular, Cellular and Medical Neurobiology; Copyright Page; Contents; List of Boxes; Sections; Contributors; Eighth Edition Acknowledgments and History; Preface to the Eighth Edition; I. CELLULAR NEUROCHEMISTRY AND NEURAL MEMBRANES; 1. Cell Biology of the Nervous System; Overview; Cellular Neuroscience is the Foundation of Modern Neuroscience; Diverse cell types comprising the nervous system interact to create a functioning brain; Neurons: Common Elements and Diversity. The classic image of a neuron includes a perikaryon, multiple dendrites and an axonAlthough neurons share common elements with other cells, each component has specialized features; The axon compartment comprises the axon hillock, initial segment, shaft and terminal arbor; Dendrites are the afferent components of neurons; The synapse is a specialized junctional complex by which axons and dendrites emerging from different neurons intercommunicate; Macroglia: More than Meets the Eye. Virtually nothing can enter or leave the central nervous system parenchyma without passing through an astrocytic interphaseOligodendrocytes are myelin-producing cells in the central nervous system; The schwann cell is the myelin-producing cell of the peripheral nervous system; Microglia; The microglial cell plays a role in phagocytosis and inflammatory responses; Ependymal cells line the brain ventricles and the spinal cord central canal; Blood-Brain Barriers and the Nervous System; Homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS) is vital to the preservation of neuronal function. The BBB and BCSFB serve a number of key functions critical for brain functionEvolution of the blood-brain barrier concept; The Neurovascular Unit Includes Multiple Components; The lumen of the cerebral capillaries that penetrate and course through the brain tissue are enclosed by BECs interconnected by TJ; The basement membrane (BM)/basal lamina is a vital component of the BBB; Astrocytes contribute to the maintenance of the BBB; Pericytes at the BBB are more prevalent than in other capillary types. Brain endothelial cells restrict the transport of many substances while permitting essential molecules access to the brainThere are multiple transporters and transport processes for bidirectional transport at the BBB; Lipid solubility is a key factor in determining the permeability of a substance through the BBB by passive diffusion; The BBB expresses solute carriers to allow access to the brain of molecules essential for metabolism; Receptor-mediated transcytosis (RMT) is the primary route of transport for some essential peptides and signaling molecules