How do neuron works?

Vocabs / Keywords
Neuron — Type of nerve cell
Basic principle
Axon — The long end of nerve cell, use to
transmit data
A neuron (also known as nerve cell) is an electrically excitable cell that takes up, processes and
transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. It is one of the basic elements of the Dendrites — The branch- looking end, receive
nervous system. data
Organelles — Organ of the cell
In order that a human being can react to his environment, neurons transport stimuli. The stimulation, for
example the burning of the finger at a candle flame, is transported by the ascending neurons to the Stimuli — a thing or event that evokes a
specific function
central nervous system and in return, the descending neurons stimulate the arm in order to remove the
finger from the candle. Transmits - Sent
Excitable—responding

A simple structure designed for a complex task Electrical impulse — The way that nerve cell
communicate
A typical neuron is divided into three parts: the cell body, the dendrites and the axon. The cell body Contact — to communicate
(green color), the center of the neuron, extends its processes called the axon and the dendrites to other
Synapse — a junction between two nerve cells
cells. Dendrites typically branch profusely, getting thinner with each branching (blue color). The axon is
thin but can reach enormous distances (violet color).

Summary
To make a comparable scale, the diameter of a neuron is about the tenth size of the diameter of a human
A neuron or nerve cells is a type of cell
hair. that process and transmits information
through electrical and chemical
Getting really into it signals. When you come in contact
with an environment, the neuron
The cell body is the central part of the neuron. It contains the nucleus of the cell (that carries all the
transmit electrical signal which is
genetic material) and numerous organelles that allow protein synthesis (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi,
etc. ) and energy production (mitochondria). send to your brain to react to different
stimuli, such as touching burning
candles. The neuron itself is divided
The axon is a fine, cable-like projection that can extend over enormous distances. At its final tip, the
axon contacts other cells (nerve- or muscle cells), through structures named synapses. into three parts, the cell body, the
The cell body and the axon are supported by a complex network of structural proteins called dendrites and the axon. The dendrites
microtubules. is an branch-looking shape, then the
body is where organelles located, then
Transmitting information
the axon is the long thin end of the cell
All neurons are electrically excitable. The electrical impulse mostly arrives on the dendrites, gets body. The cell body is the central
processed into the cell body to then move along the axon. On its all length an axon functions merely as parts, which is where the nucleus of
an electric cable, simply transmitting the signal. Once the electrical reaches the end of the axon, at the the cell is located, process similar task
synapses, things get a little more complex. as the normal cell, the axon is a fine
cable-like the stretch out over
The key to neural function is the synaptic signaling process, which is partly electrical and partly enormous distances. The tip of the
chemical. Once the electrical signal reaches the synapse, a special molecule called neurotransmitter is released by the neuron. This axon communicate with others cell,
neurotransmitter will then stimulate the second neuron, triggering a new wave of electrical impulse, repeating the mechanism described above.
while the dendrites received the
electrical impulse from others cell.
The process works by both electrical
and chemical reaction. when the
electrical signal reach the synapse, its
release the special molecule called
neurotransmitter is released by the
neuron, triggering the new wave
electrical impulse repeating the
mechanism again.

Bhumrapee Soonjun 1002