Why do nerve cells have so many extensions?

Why do nerve cells have so many extensions?

Neurons have a large number of extensions called dendrites. The purpose of the axon is to transmit an electro-chemical signal to other neurons, sometimes over a considerable distance. In the neurons that make up the nerves running from the spinal cord to your toes, the axons can be as long as three feet!

Why do nerve cells have extensions and branches?

Specialized projections called axons allow neurons to transmit electrical and chemical signals to other cells. Neurons can also receive these signals via rootlike extensions known as dendrites. Unlike other cells, neurons don’t reproduce or regenerate. They aren’t replaced once they die.

Do nerve cells have extensions?

An axon is a long, hair-like extension of a nerve cell that carries a message to another nerve cell. Dendrites are thread-like extensions of the cytoplasm of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.

Do nerve cells have long thin extensions?

These developing mouse nerve cells have a nucleus (yellow) surrounded by a cell body, with long extensions called axons and thin branching structures called dendrites. Electrical signals travel from the axon of one cell to the dendrites of another.

What is the main purpose of a nerve cell?

Neurons (also called neurones or nerve cells) are the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, the cells responsible for receiving sensory input from the external world, for sending motor commands to our muscles, and for transforming and relaying the electrical signals at every step in between.

What are cellular extensions?

Cilia are tiny extensions on cells and they are credited with many important functions, including transduction of signals in cells. Defects in cilia have been implied in several diseases and pathological conditions.

How does the nerve cell adapted to its function?

Nerve cells are called neurons . They are adapted to carry electrical impulses from one place to another. in a stimulated neuron, an electrical nerve impulse passes along the axon. the axon is insulated by a fatty (myelin) sheath – the fatty sheath increases the speed of the nerve impulses along the neuron.

What are the special features of a nerve cell?

The distinguishing characteristic of nerve cells is their specialization for intercellular communication. This attribute is apparent in their overall morphology, in the specialization of their membranes for electrical signaling, and in the structural and functional intricacies of the synaptic contacts between them.

What is the function of cell extensions?

The cells of single-cell and multicell animals use extensions of their cytoplasm (the internal soup of the cell) to communicate with neighboring cells, for movement and for specialized processes like wound healing.