Skip to main content
Back

Ion Channels and Neurons definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Neuron
    Specialized cell with structures for receiving, integrating, and transmitting electrical and chemical signals in the nervous system.
  • Cell Body
    Central region containing the nucleus and metabolic machinery, integrating incoming signals from dendrites.
  • Axon
    Long extension conducting electrical impulses away from the cell body toward other cells or effectors.
  • Dendrite
    Branch-like projections that receive incoming signals from other neurons and transmit them to the cell body.
  • Myelin Sheath
    Insulating covering around axons, formed by glial cells, increasing signal speed and preventing ion leakage.
  • Node of Ranvier
    Gaps in the myelin sheath containing clusters of ion channels, enabling rapid, saltatory conduction of action potentials.
  • Synapse
    Junction between two neurons or a neuron and another cell, where signal transmission occurs.
  • Synaptic Cleft
    Narrow extracellular space separating presynaptic and postsynaptic cells, across which neurotransmitters diffuse.
  • Action Potential
    Rapid, non-decremental electrical impulse traveling along the axon, conveying information within the nervous system.
  • Voltage-Gated Cation Channel
    Membrane protein opening in response to voltage changes, allowing influx of positive ions to initiate action potentials.
  • Potassium Channel
    Membrane protein facilitating the efflux of K+ ions, crucial for repolarizing the neuron after depolarization.
  • Neurotransmitter
    Chemical messenger released from nerve terminals, binding to receptors on target cells to modulate their activity.
  • Excitatory Neurotransmitter
    Chemical signal increasing the likelihood of action potential generation in the postsynaptic neuron.
  • Inhibitory Neurotransmitter
    Chemical signal decreasing the likelihood of action potential generation by making depolarization more difficult.
  • Synaptic Plasticity
    Ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, altering neuronal response based on previous activity.