Neuroglia

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Neuroglia \Neu*rog"li*a\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ney^ron ligament +
     gli`a glue.] (Anat.)
     The delicate connective tissue framework which supports the
     nervous matter and blood vessels of the brain and spinal
     cord; called also {K["o]lliker's reticulum}. It is composed
     of cells which are not neurons. Once thought to serve merely


     a supporting funciton, they are now believed to have
     important metablolic functions. Among them are the
     astrocytes, ependymal cells, oligodendroglia cells, and
     microglia cells. --Stedman.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  neuroglia
       n : sustentacular tissue that surrounds and supports neurons in
           the central nervous system; glial and neural cells
           together compose the tissue of the central nervous system
           [syn: {glia}]