Final answer:
Under a microscope, nervous tissue features neurons with distinctive cell bodies and branching processes, surrounded by glial cells. It exhibits organized gray and white matter in the CNS, while the PNS contains protective layers around nerves. This tissue is essential for transmitting electrical signals in the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nervous tissue under a microscope exhibits a complex and detailed architecture. Micrographs of human nervous tissue reveal neurons with a distinct morphology, including a cell body and branching processes such as axons and dendrites.
Neurons can appear bright or fluorescent when stained, contrasting with the surrounding supportive glial cells. In the central nervous system (CNS), the tissue is organized into gray matter and white matter; the former contains the cell bodies of neurons, while the latter is composed mainly of axons. Similar to a spider web or abstract art, the interconnected network of neurons and glial cells form a complex web of communication.
In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), structures such as the endoneurium, perineurium, and epineurium surround the nerves, similar to the layers found in skeletal muscles. During embryological development, satellite glial cells, which envelop the cell bodies in ganglia, are derived from neural crest cells. Overall, the appearance of nervous tissue under the microscope is indicative of its role in transmitting and receiving electrical signals throughout the body.