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Nervous Tissue: The Neuron definitions

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  • Neuron
    Primary cell of nervous tissue, responsible for generating and conducting electrical impulses.
  • Dendrites
    Extensions of a neuron that receive incoming electrical signals and lead them into the cell body.
  • Cell Body
    Part of a neuron containing the nucleus and most organelles, also known as the soma.
  • Soma
    Another term for the cell body of a neuron, housing the nucleus and organelles.
  • Axon
    Long, thin portion of a neuron that conducts outgoing electrical signals, can be several feet long.
  • Nucleus
    Organelle within the cell body of a neuron, containing genetic material.
  • Organelles
    Structures within the cell body of a neuron, performing various functions necessary for cell survival.
  • Electrical Impulse
    Signal generated and conducted by neurons, traveling from dendrites through the cell body to the axon.
  • Nervous Tissue
    Tissue type primarily composed of neurons, responsible for transmitting electrical signals.
  • Signal Direction
    Path of an electrical impulse in a neuron, starting at dendrites, through the cell body, and down the axon.