Structure of a Neuron

Question 1

What does the cell body contain?

Answer 1

• The cell body of the neuron contains the cell nucleus
• The cell body also contains other material that allows the cell to function, such as the mitochondria which provide the neuron with energy.

Question 2

What does the cell nucleus contain?

Answer 2

• which houses the genetic material for that particular neuron.

Question 3

What does the mitochondria to?

Answer 3

• provide the neuron with energy.

Question 4

What are dendrites?

Answer 4

• receive messages from other neurons in order to trigger an action potential (electrical impulse) within the cell

Question 5

What is an axon?

Answer 5

• an extension of the cell body that passes the electrical impulse towards the axon terminals

Question 6

What is a axon hillock?

Answer 6

• which is where the nerve impulse is triggered from.

Question 7

What is the myelin sheath?

Answer 7

• layers of fatty deposits
• an insulating layer to the axon and help to speed up the rate of message transmission

Question 8

What are the node of ranvier?

Answer 8

• There are breaks between the cells along the myelin sheath, which are known as nodes of ranvier.

Question 9

What are terminal buttons?

Answer 9

• At the very end of the axon are the axon terminals, and on the ends of these are terminal buttons

Question 10

What do axon terminals do?

Answer 10

• Action terminals pass nerve impulses from the cell body to parts of the body they control or activate- this could be another neuron or something like a muscle or a gland. These bulb shaped structures contain tiny vesicles that store neurotransmitters ready for the next stage of neural transmission.