PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Oligodendrocyte, Multiple Sclerosis, The Fluid
Document Summary
The neuron: communication throughout the nervous system takes place via neurons- cells that are highly specialized to receive and transmit information from one part of the body to another. Most neurons in the human nervous system are interneurons. Most neurons have 3 components; a cell body, dendrites, and an axon. The cell body (also called the soma) contains structures that manufacture proteins and process nutrients, providing the energy the neuron needs to function: the cell body also contains the nucleus which contains the dna of the organism. Dendrites are short branching fibers that extend from the cell bodies. They receive messages from other neurons or specialized cells: cell bodies have many dendrites extending off them. The axon is a single elongated tube that extends from the cell body in most neurons: axons carry information from the neuron to other cells in the body. Along with neurons, the nervous system is made up of specialized cells called glial cells (glia)