Living organisms are composed of various cells, which are specialised to carry out different functions. Nerve cells and liver cells are two important groups of cells as they are essential building blocks of the nervous and digestive system. Both the liver cells and the nerve cells initially start off as totipotent cells (stem cells) however due to gene expression they specialise to carry out their different functions. The nerve cell is adapted to cell impulses across the body liver cell is adapted for the regulation of glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis, hormone production, and detoxification. Liver cells do not have the same biochemical functions as nerve cells, although they have the same set of gene …show more content…
Organelles such as mitochondria must be present to provide energy through aerobic respiration, in order for ions to move against concentration gradient.
The structure of both cells are hugely different as they both have to carry out different functions. Nerve cells are composed of axons, dendrites, soma, cell body and Schwann cells. The nerve cell must carry impulses across the body, Schwann cells (a lipid based structure which stops conduction) provides electrical insulation so depolarisation will happen at node of Ranvier to node of Ranvier. Liver cells do not have dendrites or an axon as they don’t need it for its
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Every cell in the human body contains nucleus with the same set of genes, ribosomes, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus are enclosed in a cell membrane. Despite that fact, liver cells do not have a lot in common with nerve cells in appearance and function. This could be explained by cell differentiation. Differentiation is a process of cell specialisation that initiates with the instalment of a gene program, precise determination is specific for the individual cell. The development of cell differentiation includes the expression of specific genes, which control the biochemical functions linked with the cell type and that distinguishes the specialised cells (MacCorkle and Tan,2005). Gene expression is the realisation of hereditary information via transcription and translation. It is controlled by different complicated mechanisms. The changes in the process of development from childhood to adulthood are result of the programmed switching off and on of different genes. Even in adulthood some cells undergo differentiation, e.g. erythrocytes (red blood cells). Although the somatic cells of an organism have the same set of genes, in cells with different morphology and function (liver, nerve cells) is expressed small and different part of the common
The nerves are made of neurons which are the cells that receive, process and transmit messages from one neuron to another. The nervous system is separated into two main parts; the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. The second part of the nervous system is the peripheral nervous system which allows the central nervous system to communicate with the muscles, joints, glands and organs.
Stem cells help us to maintain and heal our bodies, as they are undifferentiated cells, their roles are not yet determined. They have the ability to become anything during early life and growth. Stem cells come from two sources, namely: embryonic stem cells (embryo’s formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development) and adult stem cells (see figure 3).
In order for the body to maintain homeostatic levels of energy, blood glucose regulation is essential. Glucose is one of the body’s principal fuels. It is an energy-rich monosaccharide sugar that is broken down in our cells to produce adenosine triphosphate. In the small intestine, glucose is absorbed into the blood and travels to the liver via the hepatic portal vein. The hepatocytes absorb much of the glucose and convert it into glycogen, an insoluble polymer of glucose. Glycogen, which is stored in the liver and skeletal muscles, can easily be reconverted into glucose when blood-glucose levels fall. All of the body’s cells need to make energy but most can use other fuels such as lipids. Neurons; however, rely almost exclusively on glucose for their energy. This is why the maintenance of blood-glucose levels is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system.
19. D. Woodbury et al., "Adult Rat and Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Differentiate Into Neurons," 61 J. of Neuroscience Research 364-70 (2000) at 364 (emphasis added).
"Neurones monitor or control specific cells or groups of cells" (Martini et al. 2014). The nervous response is rapid, however precise and short-lived, due to the fact that neurotransmitters are broken down and recycled very quickly after they have diffused across the synaptic cleft - in contrast, not all life processes are short-lived, and many require a longer response time. For example; the body continually maintains reproductive capabilities for many years, and other life processes such as growth and development require responses with a long-life span. In addition, not all of the cells in the body are innervated, which means that some cells in the body cannot be reached by the nervous system. As such it is evident that hormones have a major role to play in cellular communication, and the nervous system on its own would not suffice. (Martini et al.
This paper focuses on the benefits of stem cell research in the medical and nursing field. New technology is always being created to help us understand the way the human body works, as well as ways to help us improve diseased states in the body. Our bodies have the ability to proliferate or regrow cells when damage is done to the cells. Take for example the skin, when an abrasion or puncture to the skin causes loss of our skin cells, the body has its own way of causing those cells to regrow. The liver, bone marrow, heart, brain, and muscle all have cells that are capable of differentiating into cells of that same type. These are called stem cells, and are a new medical tool that is helping regrow vital organs in our body to help us survive. Stem cells can come from adult cells, or the blastocyst of the embryo. The cells that come from these are undifferentiated, and can be specialized into certain cell types, making them available for many damaged tissues in the body. While using stem cells in the body is a main use, they are also being used to help doctors understand how disease processes start. By culturing these cells in the lab and watching them develop into muscles, nerve cells, or other tissues, researchers are able to see how diseases affect these cells and possibly discover ways to correct these diseases. While researchers have come very far in using stem cells, there are still many controversies to overcome when using these cells.
Stem cell research is on the forefront of regenerative medicine and biological science. It is the study of certain cells in the inner mass of the embryo that are produced a few days after the embryo forms during the blastocyst stage. They are the most primitive of all human cells. They are undifferentiated cells, which mean the cells are not designated to be any special type of cell, such as a nerve, muscle, or skin cell. The cell's specialization is later influenced by the molecules, which are usually proteins that surround the cell (Marshak 220-223). The proteins are typically produced by the mother, but under certain laboratory conditions, distinctive proteins can be introduced and a definite, mature cell type is produced. The cells that are produced could be implanted into a subject to replace worn out cells, or cells that have been destroyed due to disease or injury.
The brain, like the rest of the nervous system, is composed by and large of neuralgia (glial cells), nerve cells (neurons), that are immersed in a constant flow of cerebrospinal fluid. The glial cells far outnumber the neurons, but have no axons or synapses, and therefore do not play a part in the electrical activity of the brain. They are simpler looking, much smaller, and have lower metabolic rates than neurons.
The mitochondria produces food for the cell by converting energy the cell needs. The mitochondria and the nucleus are two organelles within a cell that have many of the same similarities. Both organelles are made of two membranes. These layers isolate within the organelle all things considered, yet have protein channels that permit things to go in and out. Both contain DNA material that conveys qualities that encode for proteins. Both have qualities that make ribosomes, the machines that read the guidelines in RNA to make
There are multiple ways that a cell can send signals to other cells. One is by releasing chemicals called?hormones?into the internal circulation, so that they can diffuse to distant sites. In contrast to this "broadcast" mode of signaling, the nervous system provides "point-to-point" signals neurons project their axons to specific target areas and make synaptic connections with specific target cells.?Thus, neural signaling is capable of a much higher level of specificity than hormonal signaling. It is also much faster: the fastest nerve signals travel at speeds that exceed 100 meters per
The nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord of the central nervous system and the ganglia of the peripheral nervous system. The functional unit of the nervous system is a neuron. It is estimated 100 billion neurons reside in the brain with some neurons making anywhere between 10,000 to 100,000 connections with other cells! A distinctive class of neurons, mirror neurons discharge both when the individual executes a motor action and when he/she observes another individual performing that same or similar action. These mirror neurons were discovered by neurophysiologists in the 1990s at the University of Parma, Italy. Using macaque monkeys, these researchers found that neurons of the rostral part of the inferior premotor cortex were activated both when the monkey made goal-directed hand movements (grasping, holding, & tearing) and when the monkey observed specific hand movements done by the experimenters (Pellegrino, et al., 1992). In a monkey’s inferior frontal and inferior parietal cortex, it is estimated that about 10% of neurons have “mirror” properties.
For decades, biologists have been using stem cells to figure out possible cures for different diseases and even prevent them. Stem cells are cells that can become useable in certain tissues in the body (according to an infant), or tissue cells that are already found in blood, bones, the brain, and skin (in adults or children). Stem cells are being used for patients with lymphoma (begins in the immune system), leukemia (cancer of white blood cells), and other types of blood disorders.
Neurons are the basic units of the brain. Above is a picture of a prototypical neuron with its parts labeled by number. The objects labeled by the number one are Dendrites. Dendrites conduct nerve impulses towards the nerve cell. The nucleus, which regulates activities in the cell is labelled 2. Labeled 3, the soma or cell body, is the body of the neuron. The myelinated sheath, of the structure labeled 4, acts like an insulator. Not all neurons have myelinated sheaths. In the types that do, messages to said to 'jump' along the axon. Structure 6 is the axon, which conducts impulses away from the cell body. Finally, structures labeled 8 are called terminal branches or synaptic terminals. These transfer impulses toward the next neuron. (Answer to Neuron Structure)
The nervous system is composed of two tissue cells: neurons, which allow the functioning of reaction to physical and chemical changes that may occur through the lifespan, and the neuroglia cells, that give support and protection to neurons (Herlihy & Macbius, 2000). In order to better understand how the nervous system works, it is essential to know how neurons work, since they are the most important tools for transmitting information.
As the human body goes through different experiences, the brain grows, develops, and changes according to the environmental situations it has been exposed to. Some of these factors include drugs, stress, hormones, diets, and sensory stimuli. [1] Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to natural and abnormal stimuli experienced by the human body. The nervous system then reorganizes the brain’s structure and changes some of its function to theoretically repair itself by forming new neurons. [2] Neuroplasticity can occur during and in response to many different situations that occur throughout life. Some examples of these situations are learning, diseases, and going through therapy after an injury.