Final answer:
The student's question refers to the slow signal transmission in ganglion cells, which is due to continuous conduction along a thin, unmyelinated axon.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ganglion cell transmits signals slowly because it is an example of continuous conduction. This is due to the slow propagation of an action potential along an unmyelinated axon, which occurs because voltage-gated Na+ channels are located along the entire length of the cell membrane. Unlike myelinated axons in which saltatory conduction occurs, allowing for quicker transmission, the unmyelinated axons, such as those of ganglion cells, do not have myelin to facilitate fast transmission. Therefore, the correct answer for the blank in the question would be 'a thin, unmyelinated axon'. Ganglion cells are involved in higher neural processing, where the myelinated axons constitute the optic nerves carrying various visual signals.
Ganglion cells are a type of neuron cell located in the peripheral nervous system. They are responsible for acting as relay points for messages transmitted through nerves. Ganglion cells are characterized by being unmyelinated, which means they lack the myelin insulation that speeds up the conduction of action potentials. As a result, the propagation of action potentials along ganglion cells is slow, typically around 0.5 to 2 m/s.