25.2k views
5 votes
Which part of the neuron most directly transmits signals toward other neurons?

1) Axon
2) Dendrite
3)ell body
4) Synapse

User Anarxz
by
8.8k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The axon is the part of a neuron that transmits signals to other neurons, with the axon terminals connecting at synapses to pass on electrical impulses through released neurotransmitters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The part of a neuron that most directly transmits signals toward other neurons is the axon. An axon is a long, thin extension of the cell body which carries nerve impulses away from the cell body and toward other cells. Notably, the axon ends in multiple axon terminals, and these terminals make connections with other cells through areas known as synapses. When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters across the synapse and onto the dendrites of the adjoining neuron, thus transmitting the signal to the next cell.

It is important to clarify that dendrites receive signals, while the cell body, also known as the soma, integrates the incoming signals which then, if sufficient, triggers an action potential down the axon. The axon hillock is particularly crucial as the point of summation for these signals and the place where the action potential is initiated.

User Sergiu Damian
by
8.1k points