BIO 140 Human Biology I - Questions and Solutions

1. The cells responsible for the transmission of the nerve impulse are ________.

1. neurons
2. oligodendrocytes
3. astrocytes
4. microglia

2. The nerve impulse travels down a(n) ________, away from the cell body.

1. dendrite
2. axon
3. microglia
4. collagen fiber

3. Which of the following central nervous system cells regulate ions, regulate the uptake and/or breakdown of some neurotransmitters, and contribute to the formation of the blood-brain barrier?

1. microglia
2. neuroglia
3. oligodendrocytes
4. astrocytes

1. Which morphological adaptations of neurons make them suitable for the transmission of nerve impulse?

Solution: Neurons are well suited for the transmission of nerve impulses because short extensions, dendrites, receive impulses from other neurons, while a long tail extension, an axon, carries electrical impulses away from the cell to other neurons.

2. What are the functions of astrocytes?

Solution: Astrocytes regulate ions and uptake and/or breakdown of some neurotransmitters and contribute to the formation of the blood-brain-barrier.