Structure and function of neurons:

Neuron or nerve cell is the structural and functional unit of nervous system. Neurons are
specialized for the transmission and the conduction of nerve impulses.
Structure of neuron: A neuron consists of three parts;
1) A cell body consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus containing a prominent nucleolus.
The cell body also contains Golgi bodies, endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes.
2) One or more short processes called dendrons which conduct impulses towards the cell
body.
3) A long un-branched process the axon that carries nerve impulses away from the cell
body. The cytoplasm of the axon contains mitochondria and rough endoplasmic
reticulum. Both the axon and dendron give fine branches at their free ends. These are
called dendrites. The axon and the dendrons are collectively called nerve fiber.
A nerve is essentially a cable containing numerous nerve fibers. Between the nerve fibers
of the nerve cells are bodies called the Nissl’s Granules that provide a nutritive substance
for nerve cells. Axons of most large neurons are covered by an insulating layer of lipid
rich whitish material called myelin that is produced through the action of specialized
Schwann cells. Nodes of Ranveir are spaces along a myelinated neuron that are gaps
between adjacent Schwann cells. Myelinated neurons are better insulated and conduct
impulses faster than non myelinated neurons. The axons may be branched and each
branch may give rise to hundreds of thousands of specialized endings called synaptic
terminals which relay signals to other cells by releasing chemical messengers called
neurotransmitters. The gap at the site of contact between a synaptic terminal and a target
cell (either another neuron or an effector cell such as a muscle cell) is called a synapse.
This gap is traversed by certain chemicals like acetylcholine.
A neuron with one axon and numerous dendrites is called multi-polar, while those with
one axon and one dendron are known as bipolar. A mono-polar neuron possesses only
one process arranged into two branches in a T-shaped manner.
There are generally three types of neuron based on the function they perform;
Sensory or afferent neuron: It carries message from a sense organ to the central nervous
system. In sensory neuron the cell body is present at the sides. The axon is short and the
dendron is long.
Motor or efferent neuron: It takes message away from the central nervous system to an
effector. The cell body is in the length of the neuron. A motor neuron has short dendrites
and long axon.
Associative neuron or interneuron: It is always found completely within the central
nervous system with many short dendrites and either a short or a long axon. They link the
sensory and motor neurons. Brain and spinal cord is made of thousands of associative
neurons.

Source: Textbook of Biology Experimental Edition by Waqas Ahmad.