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chain of neuronsclick to hear

All the interconnected complex nerve cells receiving, communicating and transmitting messages in the form of nerve impulses.
chain of neurons nucleus myelin sheath axon hillock cell body dendrite sheath of Schwann collateral node of Ranvier terminal arborization synapse axon

nucleus click to hear

Organelle containing a cell’s genes and controlling its activities.

myelin sheath click to hear

Casing of the axon made of a fatty substance (myelin) providing electrical insulation for the neuron and increasing the conduction speed of the nerve impulse.

axon hillock click to hear

Part of the cell body in which the axon lies.

cell body click to hear

Bulging part of a neuron ensuring maintenance of its structure and function.

dendrite click to hear

Each of the short branch extensions of the cell body that receive nerve impulses from surrounding neurons.

sheath of Schwann click to hear

Outer casing of the axon, it surrounds the myelin sheath.

collateral click to hear

Branch of the axon. An axon can be divided into one or several collaterals.

node of Ranvier click to hear

Constriction lacking myelin located at regular intervals along the entire length of the axon; it accelerates the distribution of nerve impulses.

terminal arborization click to hear

Final branch of the axon storing a chemical substance (neurotransmitter) used to transfer a nerve impulse to the dendrites of the neighboring neuron.

synapse click to hear

Contact zone between two neurons through which nerve impulses are transmitted.

axon click to hear

Neuron extension communicating nerve impulses to other cells (including nerve and muscle cells). The axons of motor neurons can be more than 3 ft long.