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.
Analogy
Think of dendrites like tree branches. They spread out and receive messages (like leaves catching raindrops) and then send these messages back down to the trunk (the neuron's cell body).
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.
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