Neurons Explained

Below is a microscopic image of a neuron:

The neurons are the brain's nerve cells, and transmit nerve impulses. There are from 10 billion to 100 billion of them in the brain. The axon, which is the longest fiber of the neuron, carries messages to other neurons. The dendrites receive nerve impulses from the axons of other neurons. The synapse is the connecting point between neurons. The synapse and the dendrites do not touch - there is a synaptic gap between them. The nucleus contains the chromosomes, the genetic material of the cell. The mitochondia supply the cell with energy.

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