See the Neuroscience Through the Trees
Synapses: The lush, leafy ends are ends of axons that are forming synapses at the dendrites. The ends without the leaves are like dying synapses which depicts what happens in neurodegeneration like during dementia or related disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease. Image by Dr. K.
Take a walk outside, look up, look down. Leaves on the ground and bare tree branches climbing up to the sky. The nervous system can be seen in every tree - axons, dendrites, synapses, myelin sheaths.
Cell body of a neuron stained with a fluorescent dye imaged under confocal microscope. Image Dr. K
Trunks of a tree are the large axon of the giant squid or a long nerve connecting two different parts of a human. For example, a message or sensory signal computed by the brain as a combat situation can be sent to the foot to move it to kick someone or run away from them. Think fight or flight. A tree’s roots and branches communicate via the trunk to help in survival, which includes nutrient uptake and intake- soil, H2O, and sun.
Branches are axons, dendrites, and nodes. Axons and dendrites extend out of neuron cell bodies to carry chemical or electrical information so that our nervous system can communicate. Nodes (nubbed off-shoots) serve as “micro-influencer” points along the neuron where they are in contact with the surrounding environment- glia, extra neurotransmitters, etc. Think about how branches reach out to help leaves take in more sun for photosynthesis.
The meeting points or nodes of branches or leaves and branches are synapses. Synapses (pre-and post-synaptic bulbs) transfer chemical or electrical information from one neuron to the other.
Bark are myelin sheaths. Myelin sheaths insulate neurons at axons so that the messages in the form of chemical or electrical charges can be transmitted faster and efficiently.
Moss spruces up the ecosystem and forest overall. It allows for water to be retained and provides nutrients for surrounding insects. This can be roughly parallel to the microenvironment of neurons where components like glia, neurotransmitters, and fluid support the nervous system.
See the forest through the trees: The branching most prominently shown on the bare trees are axons or dendrites stemming from one main axon. Image by Dr. K.
The moss and bark on these tree branches (axons) are myelin sheaths that insulate axons to carry electrical impulses. Image by Dr. K.
Science is everywhere. We can’t escape it, nor should we. That’s the art of it. Seeing it everywhere and part of our everyday lives makes us understand it better so we can use it to advance humanity. Seeing the neurons through the trees is being a $TEMmer.