Word parts
What it means
The working cell of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. It has a cell body, short branches (dendrites) that receive signals and one long fiber (the axon) that sends the signal on. Many axons are wrapped in a fatty layer called myelin, which makes signals travel faster. At its end the neuron releases a neurotransmitterNOOR-oh-trans-mit-erA chemical that a nerve cell releases to pass a signal to another nerve, muscle or gland cell.neur/o nervetrans- acrossmitt send-er one that doesFull entry to pass the message to the next cell.
At a glance
| Spanish | neurona |
|---|---|
| Also written | neurons, nerve cell, nerve cells |
Related terms
neur/o
A word root that means nerve or the nervous system.
central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord together.
multiple sclerosis
A long-term disease in which the immune system damages the protective covering of nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
neurotransmitter
A chemical that a nerve cell releases to pass a signal to another nerve, muscle or gland cell.
peripheral nervous system
All the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, which link them to the rest of the body.