Neurons and Neurotransmitters

1. Axons and Axon Terminals

1.1. "cell phone transmitters"

1.2. very skinny near the cell body, creates a highly reactive area to incoming signals

1.3. synaptic vessels travel down the axon, to the axon terminal

1.4. reaches axon terminal, synaptic vesicle bursts, releases neurotransmitters

2. Synapses

2.1. Neurotransmitters enter the synapse

2.2. Neurotransmitters go through a synaptic cleft, a gap in the synapse

2.3. Patches of membrane on each side of the synaptic cleft

2.4. As neurotransmitters are released into the synapses, dendrites of nearby neurons pick them up

3. Soma (the cell body)

3.1. central region of the neuron

3.1.1. makes new cell components, which consist of small and large molecules

3.1.2. provides continual renewal of cell components

3.1.3. contains the nucleus

4. Dendrites

4.1. "cell phone receiver"

4.2. pass on to cell body

4.3. relieve information from other neurons