All Topics  
Ganglion

 
Ganglion

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Ganglion
 
 
  Topics Ganglion Topic Home

In anatomy
Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology that is the consideration of the body plan. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy and plant anatomy ....
, a ganglion ( plural ganglia) is a tissue mass
Biological tissue

Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. Hence, a tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function....
.

Cells found in a ganglion are called ganglion cell
Ganglion cell

A retinal ganglion cell is a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye. It receives visual information from photoreceptor cells via two intermediate neuron types: Bipolar cell of the retinas and amacrine cells....
s, though this term is also sometimes used to refer specifically to Retinal ganglion cells.

eurological contexts, ganglia are composed mainly of somata
Soma (biology)

The soma, or cyton or perikaryon, is the bulbous end of a neuron, containing the cell nucleus. The word soma is Greek language, meaning "body"; the soma of a neuron is often called the "Cell body"....
 and dendritic structures
Dendrite

Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to conduct the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or Soma , of the neuron from which the dendrites project....
 which are bundled or connected together.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Ganglion'
Start a new discussion about 'Ganglion'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


In anatomy
Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology that is the consideration of the body plan. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy and plant anatomy ....
, a ganglion ( plural ganglia) is a tissue mass
Biological tissue

Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. Hence, a tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function....
.

Cells found in a ganglion are called ganglion cell
Ganglion cell

A retinal ganglion cell is a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye. It receives visual information from photoreceptor cells via two intermediate neuron types: Bipolar cell of the retinas and amacrine cells....
s, though this term is also sometimes used to refer specifically to Retinal ganglion cells.

Neurology

Drg Chicken E7
In neurological contexts, ganglia are composed mainly of somata
Soma (biology)

The soma, or cyton or perikaryon, is the bulbous end of a neuron, containing the cell nucleus. The word soma is Greek language, meaning "body"; the soma of a neuron is often called the "Cell body"....
 and dendritic structures
Dendrite

Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to conduct the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or Soma , of the neuron from which the dendrites project....
 which are bundled or connected together. Ganglia often interconnect with other ganglia to form a complex system of ganglia known as a plexus
Plexus

A plexus is a network. It has more specific meanings in multiple fields....
. Ganglia provide relay points and intermediary connections between different neurological structures in the body, such as the peripheral
Peripheral nervous system

The peripheral nervous system resides or extends outside the central nervous system , which consists of the brain and spinal cord. The main function of the PNS is to connect the CNS to the limbs and organs....
 and central
Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of multicellular organisms....
 nervous systems.

There are two major groups of ganglia:
  • dorsal root ganglia
    Dorsal root ganglion

    In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root ganglion is a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of neurons in afferent nerve spinal nerves....
     (also known as the spinal ganglia) - contain the cell bodies of sensory (afferent)
    Afferent nerve

    In the nervous system, afferent neurons , carry action potential from receptor s or sense organs toward the central nervous system. This term can also be used to describe relative connections between structures....
     nerve
    Nerve

    A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of Peripheral nervous system axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons....
    s
  • autonomic ganglia
    Autonomic ganglion

    Autonomic ganglia are clusters of neuronal cell bodies and their dendrites and are essentially a junction between autonomic nerves originating from the central nervous system and autonomic nerves innervating their target organs in the periphery....
     - contain the cell bodies of autonomic
    Autonomic nervous system

    The autonomic nervous system is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system, maintaining human homeostasis in the body....
     nerves.


In the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the central nervous system
Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of multicellular organisms....
 to the ganglia are known as preganglionic fibers
Preganglionic fibers

In the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the central nervous system to the autonomic ganglion are known as preganglionic fibers.All preganglionic fibers, whether they are in the sympathetic nervous system or in the parasympathetic nervous system, are cholinergic ....
, while those from the ganglia to the effector organ are called postganglionic fibers
Postganglionic fibers

In the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the ganglion to the effector organ are called postganglionic fibers....
.

Basal ganglia

The term "ganglion" usually refers to the peripheral nervous system
Peripheral nervous system

The peripheral nervous system resides or extends outside the central nervous system , which consists of the brain and spinal cord. The main function of the PNS is to connect the CNS to the limbs and organs....
.

However, in the brain (part of the central nervous system
Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of multicellular organisms....
), the "basal ganglia
Basal ganglia

The basal ganglia are a group of Nucleus in the brain interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus and brainstem. Mammalian basal ganglia are associated with a variety of functions: motor control, cognition, emotions, and learning....
" is a group of nuclei interconnected with the cerebral cortex
Cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex is a structure within the brain that plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness....
, thalamus
Thalamus

The thalamus is a pair and symmetric part of the brain. It constitutes the main part of the diencephalon....
 and brainstem, associated with a variety of functions: motor control, cognition, emotions and learning.

Partly due to this ambiguity, the Terminologia Anatomica
Terminologia Anatomica

Terminologia Anatomica is the international standard on human anatomical terminology. It was developed by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology and the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists and was released in 1998....
 recommends using the term "basal nuclei" instead of "basal ganglia".

See also

  • Dorsal root ganglion
    Dorsal root ganglion

    In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root ganglion is a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of neurons in afferent nerve spinal nerves....
  • Ganglion cell
    Ganglion cell

    A retinal ganglion cell is a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye. It receives visual information from photoreceptor cells via two intermediate neuron types: Bipolar cell of the retinas and amacrine cells....
  • Ganglion cyst
    Ganglion cyst

    A ganglion cyst is a swelling that often appears on or around joints and tendons in the hand or foot. The size of the cyst can vary over time. It is most frequently located around the wrist and on the fingers....
  • Nervous system
    Nervous system

    The nervous system is a Neural network of specialized cells that communicate information about an animal's surroundings and itself. It processes this information and causes reactions in other parts of the body....
  • Neuron
    Neuron

    Neurons are responsive cell in the nervous system that process and transmit information by electrochemical Signal . They are the core components of the brain, the vertebrate spinal cord, the invertebrate ventral nerve cord, and the peripheral nerves....