The terminal buttons contain synaptic vesicles that house neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers of the nervous system.Īxons range in length from a fraction of an inch to several feet. These signals are transmitted electrically across the soma and down a major extension from the soma known as the axon, which ends at multiple terminal buttons. The neuron is a small information processor, and dendrites serve as input sites where signals are received from other neurons. The soma has branching extensions known as dendrites. The nucleus of the neuron is located in the soma, or cell body. This illustration shows a prototypical neuron, which is being myelinated. This membrane allows smaller molecules and molecules without an electrical charge to pass through it, while stopping larger or highly charged molecules. A neuron’s outer surface is made up of a semipermeable membrane. Like all cells, neurons consist of several different parts, each serving a specialized function. Neurons are the central building blocks of the nervous system, 100 billion strong at birth. This section briefly describes the structure and function of neurons. Neurons, on the other hand, serve as interconnected information processors that are essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system. Glial cells provide scaffolding on which the nervous system is built, help neurons line up closely with each other to allow neuronal communication, provide insulation to neurons, transport nutrients and waste products, and mediate immune responses. Glial cells, which outnumber neurons ten to one, are traditionally thought to play a supportive role to neurons, both physically and metabolically. The nervous system is composed of two basic cell types: glial cells (also known as glia) and neurons. Learning how the cells and organs (like the brain) function, help us understand the biological basis behind human psychology. Psychologists striving to understand the human mind may study the nervous system. Explain how drugs act as agonists or antagonists for a given neurotransmitter system.
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