Neurons and their characteristics

(This image is taken from the site: http://www.centrometeoitaliano.it/salute/scoperto-il-neurone-artificiale-via-libera-alla-prevenzione-di-malattie-come-lalzheimer-28893).

Neurons are cells specialized in intercellular communication and in the transmission of electrical signals. This specialization is reflected in their morphological characteristics (Parves, Augustine, Fitzpatrick, Hall, LaMantia, White, Neuroscience, Sinauer Associates Inc).

Neurons in fact have an axon and a dense branching of dendrites. The number of nerve fibers that a neuron receives depends on the amount of dendrites.

Axonal termination of the pre-synaptic neuron is adjacent to a region of the post-synaptic neuron. In this region there are the post-synaptic receptors.

The space between the pre- and post-synaptic elements is called the synaptic cleft. The two neurons communicate through the secretion of molecules that bind to specific receptors.

The axon of the neuron is the region specialized for the conduction of electrical signals. The action potential is the mechanism that carries electrical signals through the axon.

Synaptic transmission instead is the mechanism that allows the passage of information to the target cells via the synapses.

Presynaptic terminals contain synaptic vesicles. These vesicles emit chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters bind to special receptors in the post-synaptic membrane. In this way they can change the electrical properties of the target cell (Parves, Augustine, Fitzpatrick, Hall, LaMantia, Whithe, Neuroscienze, Sinauer Associates Inc).