Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
A neuron is a nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system. It transmits information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells.
Related terms
Dendrite: This is like the mailbox where the postman picks up letters (or signals). Dendrites are branch-like structures that receive these signals from other neurons.
This is like the path or route that our postman takes to deliver his letters. The axon is a long slender projection of a neuron that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body.