Cells of the nervous system

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“A very good morning students!
How are you all doing today? As our new academic year begins after your summer vacation, let’s delay no more and get the celebration of learning started.
Come on dear students, today we are going to meet a very special person and his family.

Let’s imagine our entire body as a country. The different organ systems to be different states. Do you remember the organ systems that we have learnt last year?”,
Students in chorus,
• “Respiratory system......
• Endocrine system
• Nervous system”

“Very good, now tell me, what would be the capital state (organ system) among these states?”. “The nervous system!” was the answer from the students. “Ah! clever kids, now we are going to meet the mantiri*, who resides in the capital state, his name is neuron”. “Because in the olden days, the king relies on their mantiri for wise advice and suggestions, that’s why!

Now let me introduce you to our VIP’s important family members, the glial cells, whose names are, astrocyte, oligodendrocyte and microglia. The astrocyte is star-shaped and takes very good care of our mantiri, she is our mantiri’s mom. Then we have our mantiri’s sibling, the oligodendrocyte, who always works for the betterment of our mantiri, which in turn aids him to function properly. Then comes the faithful servant, another family member of our VIP’s family, the microglia. He has travelled from far off state to reach our mantiri’s state. He is small, energetic and dynamic, without him, the cleanliness of our VIP’s house, also state is unimaginable.

Let’s now get to know the daily tasks of our VIP. Mantiri controls and coordinates with all the other state affairs. Mantiri’s mom takes care of his nutrition and also serves as his personal assistant in allowing only necessary people from all the other states to meet him. She does that through this set-up called the blood-brain barrier. Next comes our oligodendrocyte. He always takes care of the effective and quick functioning of our VIP by providing the necessary aid. He is also an engineer in constructing the myelin sheath, which facilitates the fast functioning of our VIP. Then our VIP’s servant, microglia can always be found busy clearing the unwanted debris scattered all over the house.”

*Minister in Tamil