What is Axon?
Definition: An axon is a long, slender, and cable-like projection of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.
Characteristics: Axons have a uniform diameter and are covered by a specialized membrane called the axolemma. They are usually longer than dendrites and can extend over long distances within the body.
Function: The primary function of an axon is to transmit electrical signals which are called action potentials, away from the cell body and towards other neurons, muscle cells, or glands. Axons could be helpful for the communication between neurons and are critical for the propagation of nerve impulses throughout the nervous system in the body.
Difference Between Axon and Dendrite
Difference Between Axon and Dendrite: Two parts of nerve cells are axons and dendrites. The structural and functional fundamentals of an animal’s nervous system are called nerve cells. In order to coordinate the body’s operations, they send nerve impulses to the brain, spinal cord, and body. An axon is a long, conical extension of the nerve cell’s cell body. There is an axon in every nerve cell. Dendrites are the brief structures that emerge from the cell body. A nerve cell has a large number of dendrites. Axons and dendrites differ essentially in that dendrites transport nerve impulses back to the cell body from synapses, whereas axons carry nerve impulses away from the cell body.