What is Neuron?Presented by:Attroba Adan (01)

Hina Liaqat (10)

Neuron It is the basic structural and functional unit

of Nervous System.

Neurons are specialized to transmit information throughout the body.

There are about 100 billion neurons in human brain.

Structure of Neuron

Like other body cells, Neurons have:

• a Cell Membrane.• a Nucleus that contains DNA.• some working parts known as Organelles.

Structure of Neuron

Unlike other cells, Neurons have:

• Irregular shape.• Specialized extensions called Dendrites and

Axons.• Chemicals for communication called

Neurotransmitters.

Dendrites A dendrite is a structure of the neuron that

brings information to the cell body from another neuron.

It has rough surface, with little bumps called dendritic spines that increase the surface area of the dendrite so that it can receive more information from the neighboring neuron.

AxonAn axon carries information away from the

cell body to the dendrites of a neighboring neuron.

Axons have smooth surfaces and no spines like dendrites have.

Myelin and Nodes of Ranvier

There are some other structures in neurons called Myelin and Nodes of Ranvier:

• Myelin is a fatty substance that covers some axon.

• There are breaks at various points in myelin, known as Nodes of Ranvier.

Diagram of Neuron

Types of NeuronThree

types of Neuron

Motor Neuron

Sensory Neuron

Associative Neuron

Motor NeuronMotor Neurons carry signals from Central

Nervous System to the peripheral parts (muscles, skin and glands) of the body.

They have very long axons.

Sensory NeuronSensory Neurons carry signals from the

peripheral parts of body to the Central Nervous System.

They transmit impulses from the receptors in our sense organs (nose, ear etc.) to the brain.

Associative Neuron

Associative Neurons connect various neurons within the brain and spinal cord.

Only found in the brain, spinal cord and eye.

They have short axon.

Electrochemical Process

The process through which a neuron carries information from one part of brain to another is called Electrochemical Process.

The electro part happens in the neuron itself.

The chemical part takes place at the junction between two neurons called Synapse.

Function

The function of neurons is to allow you to think and behave.