Know the Difference Between Axon and Dendrite
The Human Nervous System is primarily divided into two components - the peripheral Nervous System (PNS) and the Central Nervous System (CNS). The CNS is essentially the hub of the organism’s body, which includes parts of the brain and spinal cord. The System is responsible for regulating command, coordination, information, and the integration which influences numerous activities of the body.
The other component of the Nervous System, as mentioned above, is PNS. The PNS is made up of Neurons, plus other parts that are outside CNS. The signals that are received by CNS are primarily from PNS which plays the supporting role. The Neurons are the components of PNS that are vital for processing as well as transferring information to muscles, glands, and Nerve Cells. There are various billions of Neurons that are present in the body that have extensions like Axons and the Dendrites.
The Neurons are Nerve Cells having the Cell body called soma. Neurons produce a significant chunk of protein and these proteins get absorbed in the soma. The Nerve Cells consist of two distinctive and important components - Axons and Dendrites. The processes of short branching are called Dendrites while the processes that are longer than Dendrites are called Axons. This is the fundamental structural difference between the Axons and the Dendrites.
The Dendrites are specialized forms of short fibrous branches which extend from the Nerve Cell body. The function of the dendron is to accept and process the incoming information that takes place within Dendrites. The incoming signals of dendron function belong to two categories - inhibitory which prevents the Neurons from taking the trigger and excitatory which makes the Neurons take the trigger.
The single Neuron might consist of multiple sets of Dendrites and it can receive a lot of information from input signals. The impulse is primarily dependent on the number of inhibitory and excitatory signals it receives. If a Neuron rejects the incoming trigger, the Nerve impulse is shifted down to the Axon.
What is the Axon?
The Axon is a tail-like projection of a Nerve Cell, also called the Nerve fiber which conducts electrical impulses within the body which is away from the soma or Nerve Cells. The impulses typically come from the Cell body at a special junction named as Axon hillock. The Axons are the main transition lines which bundle up for creating the Nerve. One of the differences between Dendrite and Axon is the fatty substance named myelin which only covers the Axon.
Some of the main differences between Axon and Dendrite are as follows. Axon originates from the discharging end of Neuron while Dendrite originates from the receiving end of Neuron. You can only find one Axon per Nerve Cell whereas there are various Dendrites within a Nerve Cell. The Axon has the long-tail structure and Dendrite has short, fibrous, root-like structure. The Axon has uniform thickness throughout its length while Dendrite consists of tapering end having root-like branches.
FAQs on Human Nervous System
1. What Are the Different Types of Neurons?
There are mainly three different types of neurons found within the body. The sensory neuron, motor neuron, and interneurons. In the sensory neurons, the signals from the external environment are converted into internal stimuli. The sensory inputs are activated in the sensory neurons which get processed through body parts like the brain and spinal cord. The motor neurons are multipolar and are found in the central nervous system. The axons of motor neurons are extended outside the CNS. This neuron is responsible for transmitting the signal from the brain to the muscles of the body. The last is the interneurons which are multipolar in nature. The axons are mainly connected to the sensory and motor neurons. It conveys the signals between two neurons.
2. What is a Nerve?
A nerve is a body cable that has been found to conduct nerve impulses and transmit information from one part of the body to another. A nerve is an integral unit of the peripheral nervous system. The primary function is to coordinate and control the operations within a body. A nerve is composed of a bundle of fiber structures enclosed with layers of tissue and fat that stretches throughout the body. The nerve receives information from the dendrites and transmits it through the axons to the respective body part. The nervous system not only communicates the message but also processes it into chemical signals to create impulses within the body.
3. What are the numerous types of Neurons?
There are fundamentally three types of Neurons within the body. The motor Neuron, the sensory Neuron, and the interNeurons. In sensory Neurons, signals from the external environment get converted into internal stimuli. The motor Neurons, on the other hand, are multi-polar and are found in the Central Nervous System. The interNeurons are also multi-polar in nature. The Axons are primarily connected to the motor and sensory Neurons and convey signals between the two Neurons.
4. What is the Nerve?
The Nerve is essentially the body cable that conducts the Nerve impulses and transmits information from one part of the body to another. The Nerve is the integral component of the peripheral Nervous System. The main function of the Nerve is to coordinate as well as control operations within the body. The Nerve is made up of a bundle of fiber structures that are enclosed within fat and tissue layers that stretches across the body.
5. What is the role of the Nerve within the body?
The Nerve is a cord-like structure within the body that has various Nerve fibers that are wrapped in fat and tissue layers. The different types of Nerves include sensory Nerves, motor Nerves, and Mixed Nerves. One of the important functions of the Nerve is to receive information from Dendrites and then transmit it across the Axons to the respective part of the body. The Nervous System processes and communicates the message in the form of chemical signals for creating impulses in the body.
6. What is the advantage of referring to Vedantu notes on “Axon and Dendrite”?
The Vedantu notes on “Axon and Dendrite” provide exCellent description of the subject with comprehensive explanations and examples where needed. The lucid presentation and structure of the chapter helps the students to grasp the concept effectively and provides great assistance in their preparation for the exams. These notes are also highly accurate and include all the relevant sections as well as subtopics related to the chapter.
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