The fundamental component of the nervous system is the neuron. Specific conductor cells receives and transmits the nerve impulse called Electrochemical nerve. In a normal neuron, the long arms that carry impulses from one part of the body to another include a cell body.
The neuron is divided into three parts;
- Axon
- Dendrites
- Cell Body
Cell body of neuron
The cell body has a nucleus or control center like all other cells do.
Dendrites
Dendrites are a variety of densely branching. It’s a cable-like extensions that extend from the cell body. The sensory neuron is an exception, which only has one long dendrite. Dendrites present in motor neurons are numerous and dense. Dendrites transport the nerve impulse into the cell body.
Axon
An axon is a projection that extends from the cell body to another neuron or tissue. These axons are long and thin. Typically, each neuron has just one axon.
Myelin sheath
The Myelin Sheath or Schwann Cells cover the neuron. Many peripheral neurons have these white, segmented coverings around their axons and dendrites except for the place of termination.
The nodes of Ranvier, is the covering continuous along the axons or dendrites.
Schwann cells with a nucleus is covered with a layer called as the neurilemma. Neurilemma promotes nerve regeneration in damaged areas and due to the lack a neurilemma, brain and spinal cord nerves and cannot repair themselves after being injured.
Types of neuron
According to their form and function, neurons in the body neurons can be classified as multipolar, bipolar, or unipolar depending on their structural makeup:
- Multipolar Neurons; One axon and numerous dendrites and typically found in brain and spinal cord.
- Bipolar Neurons; One axon and one dendrite are present and these can be observed in the olfactory (smell) region, the inner ear, and the retina of the eye.
- Unipolar Neurons; One process emerges from the cell body and the process splits into two parts, one of which serves as an axon and the other as a dendrite.
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