Nerve Cells - Neurons
Nerve Cells Are also Called Neurons.
Special types of cells which conduct impulses from one place to another in the body are called neurons. Neurons are the structural and functional units of the nervous system. Nerve cells, the largest cells in the human the body, may measure up to a few metres in length. Nerve cells have the ability to generate and conduct electro-chemical impulses. The cells that support the nerve cells and help in their functioning are called neuroglia. Nerve cells and neuroglial cells together form the nerves.
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| Nerve Cell |
All the information about our surroundings is collected by the ends or dendrites of the neuron. The chemical process begins at those ends and electric impulses are generated which are conducted from the dendrites to the cell body, from the cell body to the axon and from the axon to its terminal. These impulses are then to be transferred from this nerve cell to the next. Now the impulse that reaches the terminal of an axon, stimulates the nerve cell to secrete certain chemicals. These chemicals pass through a minute space, called the synapse, between two adjacent neurons and generate the impulse in the dendrites of next neuron. In this way, impulses are conducted in the body and these impulses are finally conveyed by nerve cells to muscle cells or glands.
When an action or movement is to be brought about in the body, the work of the
muscular tissue comes last in the sequence. Movement of muscle cells is essential to bring about any activity. When cells contract to change their shape, movement occurs at cellular level.Muscle cells have the ability to change their shape due to a special type of protein.Besides, due to these same proteins,cells become able to respond to electrical impulses of nerves.
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| Neurons |
Thus, we can say that the nervous system consists of a well-organized network of
nerves which can conduct information in the form of electrical impulses from one part of
the body to other.
