Anatomy and Chemistry Basics
Tissues
Nervous tissue consists of two kinds of nerve cells:
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Neurons are the basic structural unit of the nervous system. Each cell consists of the following parts (see Figure 1 ).
Figure 1 A neuron is a basic structural unit of the nervous system containing a cell body, dendrites, and an axon.
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The cell body contains the nucleus and other cellular organelles.
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The dendrites are typically short, slender extensions of the cell body that receive stimuli.
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The axon is typically a long, slender extension of the cell body that sends stimuli.
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Neuroglia, or glial cells, provide support functions for the neurons, such as insulation or anchoring neurons to blood vessels.
