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  2. Action potential - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_potential

    As an action potential (nerve impulse) travels down an axonthere is a change in electric polarity across the membraneof the axon. In response to a signal from another neuron, sodium- (Na+) and potassium- (K+)–gated ion channelsopen and close as the membrane reaches its threshold potential. Na+channels open at the beginning of the action ...

  3. Myelin - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelin

    Myelin (/ ˈmaɪ.əlɪn / MY-ə-lin) is a lipid -rich material that surrounds nerve cell axons (the nervous system's electrical wires) to insulate them and increase the rate at which electrical impulses (called action potentials) pass along the axon. [ 1 ][ 2 ] The myelinated axon can be likened to an electrical wire (the axon) with insulating ...

  4. White matter - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_matter

    White matter is the tissue through which messages pass between different areas of grey matter within the central nervous system. The white matter is white because of the fatty substance (myelin) that surrounds the nerve fibers (axons). This myelin is found in almost all long nerve fibers, and acts as an electrical insulation.

  5. Depolarization - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depolarization

    The surge of depolarization traveling from the axon hillock to the axon terminal is known as an action potential. Action potentials reach the axon terminal, where the action potential triggers the release of neurotransmitters from the neuron. The neurotransmitters that are released from the axon continue on to stimulate other cells such as ...

  6. Axon - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axon

    An axon (from Greek ἄξων áxōn, axis) or nerve fiber (or nervefibre: see spelling differences) is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically conducts electrical impulses known as action potentials away from the nerve cell body. The function of the axon is to transmit information to different ...

  7. Nociceptor - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nociceptor

    A nociceptor (from Latin nocere 'to harm or hurt'; lit.'pain receptor') is a sensory neuron that responds to damaging or potentially damaging stimuli by sending "possible threat" signals [ 1 ][ 2 ][ 3 ] to the spinal cord and the brain. The brain creates the sensation of pain to direct attention to the body part, so the threat can be mitigated ...

  8. Axon hillock - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axon_hillock

    Latin. colliculus axonis. TH. H2.00.06.1.00006. Anatomical terminology. [ edit on Wikidata] The axon hillock is a specialized part of the cell body (or soma) of a neuron that connects to the axon. It can be identified using light microscopy from its appearance and location in a neuron and from its sparse distribution of Nissl substance.

  9. Node of Ranvier - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Node_of_Ranvier

    The decreased axon size reflects a higher packing density of neurofilaments in this region, which are less heavily phosphorylated and are transported more slowly. [4] Vesicles and other organelles are also increased at the nodes, which suggest that there is a bottleneck of axonal transport in both directions as well as local axonal-glial signaling.