GLOSSARY

A neuron, or nerve cell, is the structural and functional unit of the nervous system; it transmits messages along its length as an electrical signal and to the next cell as a chemical signal.

Structure

Each neuron has three main parts: the cell body (soma), which contains the nucleus and most organelles; the dendrites, which receive signals from other neurons; and the axon, which carries the signal away from the cell body to the next cell.
The junction where the axon of one neuron meets another cell is called a synapse.

Functional Types