Section of the brain gray matter.
A large multipolar neuron stands out at the image center. Its cell body, also called perikaryon, is highlighted in green as several of the extensions that emerge from it. Two other neurons also highlighted in green can be seen in the image due to their size, extensions and the type of their nuclear chromatin.
The nucleus of the large and spherical of the large neuron in the center is highlighted in light blue. Its chromatin is loose, and large nucleoli are observed inside the nucleus, highlighted in dark blue.
In addition to the neurons described above, a large number of smaller nuclei are present, most probably of neuroglial cells. Their nuclei are highlighted in dark blue. This kind of staining does not allow the easy distinguish between the several types of neuroglial cells (will be shown later).
Most of the image is occupied by a pink material that, if you look closely, is formed by many small filaments. It consists of a large number of neuronal and neuroglial cell extensions. Routine preparations do not allow us to distinguish each extension, nor to know to which cells they belong.
The nervous tissue requires mucht of energy, oxygen and nutrients to function adequately and for this reason it is highly vascularized. The area of the pink tissue has a large number of small cavities that are blood capillaries – highlighted in red.
