Dendrites

Definition

Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to conduct the electrical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project.

Related terms

Axon: The long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.

Synapse: The junction between two neurons or between a neuron and a muscle where neurotransmitters are released allowing signals to pass.

Myelin Sheath: A layer of fatty tissue that covers many nerve fibers. It's like insulation on an electrical wire, it speeds up signal transmission.