What types of cells is the nervous system made up of?

The nervous system is made up of two types of cells – neurons and glial cells. 

Neurons or nerve cells

Neurons, also known as nerve cells, are the conducting cells of the nervous system. They play a key role in transmitting nerve impulses by generating and propagating electrical and chemical signals. 

Neurons are polarized cells, based on the electrical signals moving along their membrane. They receive messages at the branched dendrites at the end of the axon. The messages flow through the cell body and propagate along the axon to its target destination, which may be a muscle tissue, gland, or another neuron. 

Glial cells or Neuroglia

Glial cells, also known as neuroglia or glia, are a special type of connective tissue in the nervous system. Glia are nonconductive cells. Their main responsibility is to support neurons, which are the conducting cells in the nervous system. Glial cells protect, nourish, and insulate neurons and maintain the environment around the neurons by regulating ions. 

There are 6 types of glial cells in the nervous system. Four types are found in the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord, and two are found in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which includes nerves outside of the brain and the spinal cord.