The diagram shows the components of a neuron and how it works

The illustration describes the anatomy of a neural

cell

as well as

the respective functions of all of its constituent parts.

Overall

, each

cell

or ‘neuron’ comprises two key components: a

cell

body

that issues

information

and a sophisticated system of tentacle-like wires that facilitate the delivery of

this

information

. The central part of each nerve

cell

is the

cell

body

, called ‘soma.’ From the soma sprouts many ‘dendrites’ make up the network through which

information

from

neighboring

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neighbouring

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cells is transmitted to. The dendrites themselves are made up of minuscule cords called ‘

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axons

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axon

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axons

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’, which are responsible for delivering messages from the

cell

that they stem from to other parts of the human

body

, namely to other neurons, muscles or glands. The ‘axons’ are enveloped in a protective cover called the ‘myelin sheath’ (denoted in the diagram as a series of connected transparent capsules) which not only shields the axon but

also

accelerates neural impulses. The

information

that the

cell

body

transmits is termed ‘action potential’, which is essentially an electrical signal that travels along the axon to other cells. Cells make contact through a web of ‘terminal buttons’

at the end

of the axon, and

this

is how neurons are interconnected and

information

traverses the human

body

.