It is where your body sends the stimuli it receives through the senses \u2014 sight, sound, smell, touch \u2014 for interpretation, and where your body gets its orders to move, speak and perform other activities.<\/p>\n
To deliver its instructions as well as to collect information from all parts of your body, your brain needs help.<\/p>\n
It relies on its messengers, a.k.a. neurons.<\/p>\n
What is a neuron? How does it work? Let\u2019s enter the large, intricate web of your brain\u2019s messengers!<\/p>\n
Uncover the battle raging within. Read the Biowars comic book for free!<\/a><\/p>\n A neuron is a messenger cell and the primary building block of your central and\u202fperipheral nervous systems<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n A neuron\u2019s role is to transmit sensory messages to the brain and then pass on its instructions throughout your body to their intended recipient.<\/p>\n Say you see an adorable puppy.<\/p>\n Your eyes register its cute face, your ears register its puppy barks, your legs might register its enthusiastic tail brushing up against you, and your nose may register its freshly applied dog shampoo.<\/p>\n All of these are just stimuli \u2014 data<\/strong>\u00a0if you will \u2014 that your senses pick up and send to your brain for processing using neurons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Once your brain understands that an enthusiastic, freshly bathed puppy is beside you, it may send a fuzzy feeling to your heart and a “must-pet-this-puppy” control to your hands. And, before you know it, you\u2019re snuggling the fluff ball!<\/p>\n Since your brain works 24\/7 \u2014 yes, even while you\u2019re sleeping!<\/strong> \u2014 and there are a lot of stimuli to process and commands to issue, it needs a big network of neurons to rely on.<\/p>\n Although this number may seem unbelievable, your brain<\/a> houses around 86<\/a> billions of neurons, each of them playing a part in carrying messages to various parts of your body to ensure it functions properly.<\/strong><\/p>\n Besides voluntary movements, your neurons also make sure the automatic actions inside your body run smoothly, such as your heart beating, lungs breathing and your other organs doing their jobs effectively.<\/p>\n The length of neurons varies from small to quite long!<\/p>\n Since neurons must reach every single corner of your body, some of them need to be very long to do their job. In fact, certain types of neurons represent the longest cells in your body!<\/strong><\/p>\n The longest neuron in your body spans from the bottom of your spine to your big toe, and is around 3<\/a> feet (1 meter) long<\/strong>!<\/p>\n Of course, not all axons are three feet long. They can be as short as 0,003 feet!<\/p>\n In BioCosmos, where BioWars stories take place, your neurons are represented by Nero<\/a>. He is one of the key players in the battle for the BioCosmos, i.e. the universe inside all of us.<\/p>\n Nero personifies a neuron in the Biowars comic book! \u200b<\/p><\/div>\n Nero and his fellow BioWarriors<\/a> (the warriors of your immune system) want to keep the BioCosmos peaceful and healthy, but the dangerous microbes<\/a> continuously attempt to disrupt the peace and hurt their host.<\/p>\n Their clash is the topic of the BioWars comic book, and we invite you to read it to discover how remarkable your body is, explore the power of your immune system and meet the brave soldiers protecting your Bioverse!<\/p>\n Meet the Bioverse characters!<\/a><\/p>\n Neurons are made up of three parts:<\/p>\n Neurons can be one meter long because of their long axons!\u200b<\/p><\/div>\n Like other cells in your body, neurons, too, have a nucleus<\/a>, a membrane that surrounds them and protects them, and organelles, such as cytoplasm and Golgi bodies.<\/p>\n But neurons also have two structures that other cells don\u2019t \u2014 dendrites and axons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The two are attached to the neurons\u2019 membrane.<\/strong><\/p>\n Dendrites, a.k.a., dendrons, are placed on a neuron\u2019s end.<\/p>\n From there, they branch out resembling a tree. However, they always stay close to the nerve cell body.<\/p>\n Dendrites have an important job to do \u2014 soak up information from other cells<\/strong>. They contain proteins that allow them not only to receive signals but also to process them and pass them on to the soma!<\/strong><\/p>\n Dendrites also pack organelles<\/strong> that enable them to change protein density depending on the frequency of the input they receive from other neurons. The dendritic ability to modify protein density as needed prevents some neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy) from happening.<\/p>\n Axons, or nerve fibers, are like cables that transmit nerve impulses from the nerve cell body to other neurons, gland cells and muscle cells.<\/strong><\/p>\n They are long, single, and cylinder-like fibers.<\/p>\n Your body contains two types of axons: myelinated and unmyelinated.<\/p>\n Myelinated axons are surrounded by a fat layer of the myelin sheath<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Myelin is a material packed with lipids that insulates axons and it helps them transfer signals to remote destinations fast.<\/strong><\/p>\n To send signals to several nerve cells at once, axons form side branches, axon collaterals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Axon collaterals then split into even tinier extensions known as axon terminal branches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Every terminal contains a synapse<\/strong>, which is a structure that enables neurons to pass on their signals to other cells.<\/p>\n To transmit the signal, neurons secret neurotransmitters into synapses<\/strong>. Neurotransmitters are messenger molecules that carry a neuron\u2019s signal to another neuron, muscle, or a gland.<\/p>\n Remember the neuron that extends from the bottom of your spine to your big toe? That\u2019s actually an axon that stretches that long! After all, this particular axon needs to transmit signals from the spine to your big toe, so this axon\u2019s length comes as no surprise!<\/p>\n Follow us on Instagram and enjoy the latest Biowars updates!<\/a><\/p>\n The work your neurons do goes through several stages.<\/p>\n First, your dendrites get to work. The cell body is up next. And then axons get to do their thing.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how that looks.<\/p>\n Dendrites are the first ones to spur into action.<\/strong><\/p>\n Picture this.<\/p>\n You\u2019re playing basketball with some friends.<\/p>\n When you want to score, how do you instantly<\/strong> know how strong you should shoot the ball and at what height should your hands be so that the ball falls through the hoop?<\/p>\n This is possible thanks to your neurons.<\/p>\n You perceive information about the size of the ball and your distance from the hoop with your eyes. Using your hands, you can determine the weight of the ball.<\/p>\n Your neurons translate this information into electrical signals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n They pick up electrical signals and pass them through to the cell body.<\/p>\n Axons carry messages.<\/strong><\/p>\n After nerve impulses pass through the cell body, they go through axons, which act like cables that transfer electricity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n They carry information, i.e. nerve impulses from the cell body to the next cell<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Now, neurons aren\u2019t glued to each other.<\/p>\n Synapses keep them apart, while neurotransmitters connect them one to another!<\/strong><\/p>\n When one neuron passes a signal to another,\u202fyour neurotransmitters work at a remarkable speed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Research shows that neurons can pass anywhere between 5 to 50<\/a> messages per second!<\/strong><\/p>\n And as if that\u2019s not impressive enough, research shows that neurons can carry signals from more than one<\/a> stimuli at a time<\/strong>!<\/p>\n So, the next time you\u2019re playing basketball, video games<\/a> or reading your BioWars comic book, you\u2019ll know that millions of neurons are working hard at once to make what you do instantly possible. But that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you can blame your neurons if you miss the game-winning shot!<\/p>\n Discover more interesting facts about your body!<\/a><\/p>\n Of 86 billion neurons, your body contains thousands of different neuron types.<\/p>\n We\u2019re going to categorize them depending on their function and form.<\/p>\n In terms of function<\/strong>, we can categorize neurons into three main types:<\/p>\n Although your body contains billions of neurons, they can all be classified into three groups depending on their function.\u200b<\/p><\/div>\n Also known as sensory neurons<\/strong>, these neurons carry signals from your senses to your brain. They help you:<\/p>\n Afferent neurons act as receptors that inform your brain of the physical or chemical changes in your environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n They are precisely what allows you to tell whether something is hot or cold and enjoy the smell of freshly baked cookies.<\/p>\n While similar to afferent neurons in their name, efferent neurons have a completely different function.<\/p>\n Efferent neurons are transmitters that enable your brain and spinal cord to send impulses to your organs, glands and muscles.<\/strong><\/p>\n They are precisely what enables your body movements \u2014 voluntary and involuntary.<\/strong> This is why efferent neurons are also known as motor neurons.<\/p>\n Your body contains two types of efferent neurons:<\/p>\n Upper motor neurons<\/strong> transmit signals between your spinal cord and brain.<\/p>\n Lower motor neurons<\/strong> pass signals from your spinal cord to smooth (i.e. involuntary) muscles and skeletal muscles.<\/p>\n By the way, smooth muscles are muscles that don\u2019t have cross stripes like other muscles. You have them in your stomach, for example.<\/p>\n When you eat, food moves along your digestive system thanks to muscle contractions of the smooth muscles in your esophagus, stomach and intestines. These muscle contractions happen because the efferent neurons in your spinal cord send signals to relevant organs.<\/p>\n Interneurons are the unsung heroes of your nervous system<\/strong>,\u202fas they enable other neurons to communicate with each other.<\/p>\n They make up about 99<\/a>% of all neurons in your body.<\/p>\n Interneurons are located in your brain and spinal cord.<\/p>\n As their name suggests,\u202fthey act as intermediaries between sensory and motor neurons. They connect neurons in your brain with neurons in your spinal cord.<\/strong><\/p>\n In many ways, interneurons help your brain keep you safe.<\/p>\n For instance, if you place your hand on a hot stove, the afferent neurons in your brain will register the temperature through the nerve endings in your palm and fingers.<\/p>\n Then,\u202fthe neurons will inform your brain of the impending danger, you\u2019ll feel the pain, and your brain will react by sending signals through efferent neurons<\/strong>,\u202fprompting you to remove your hand as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n As you can imagine, these neurons act super fast and they excel at what they do, hence your instant reaction.<\/p>\n Interneurons also participate in some abstract doings of your mind, including the ability to focus and feel emotions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Your neurons can have some crazy shapes, such as a pyramid or a fan!\u200b<\/p><\/div>\n Now, as for the form of neurons<\/strong>, we distinguish five major neuron types<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Purkinje dendrons look like trees with a bunch of fan-like dendrites. \u200b<\/p><\/div>\n Neurological disorders are diseases that affect the nervous system.<\/p>\n Aside from the brain and spinal cord, some types of neurological disorders may also affect neurons, causing their early death.<\/p>\n When a person is healthy, their neurons can live super long.<\/p>\n In fact, of all the cells in your body, neurons tend to live the longest. Research shows that neurons may even live forever<\/a> as long as they have a body to live into.<\/p>\n For the most part, however, your neurons will remain healthy throughout your lifetime.<\/strong><\/p>\n Although neurons usually live long, they are very fragile.<\/p>\n This means that a heavy blow to the head or body may cause neuronal damage. When the brain suffers a blow, that may kill off neurons in a beat, or it may deprive them of the oxygen, without which they can\u2019t survive.<\/p>\n Aside from physical damage, some neurons may die during migration and differentiation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Neuronal migration<\/strong> is the process during which neurons travel from the place where they were born (neural stem cells) to where they need to do their job. However, scientists say that only about one-third of all neurons reach their final destination.<\/p>\n When a neuron gets to where it wants to, it grows in size, makes more dendrites and connects with surrounding cells. This phase is called neuronal differentiation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If neurons die during any of these phases from unnatural reasons, unfortunately, some brain disorders may occur.<\/p>\n Some of the most common types of neurological disorders include:<\/p>\nWhat Is A Neuron?<\/h2>\n
How Many Neurons Does A Brain Contain?<\/h3>\n
How Long Are Neurons?<\/h3>\n
Are There Neurons In The BioWars Comic?<\/h3>\n
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/what-is-neuron-nero.jpg\")
How Are Neurons Structured?<\/h2>\n
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![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/what-is-neuron-structure.jpg\")
1. The Cell Body<\/h3>\n
2. Dendrites<\/h3>\n
3. Axons<\/h3>\n
How Do Neurons Work?<\/h2>\n
1. What Do Dendrites Do?<\/h3>\n
2. What Do Axons Do?<\/h3>\n
Types Of Neurons<\/h2>\n
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![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/what-is-neuron-types-function.jpg\")
#1: Afferent Neurons<\/h3>\n
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#2: Efferent Neurons<\/h3>\n
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#3: Interneurons<\/h3>\n
![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/what-is-neuron-types-form.jpg\")
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![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/what-is-neuron-purkinje-neurons.jpg\")
What Are Neurological Disorders?<\/h2>\n
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![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/what-is-neuron-stem-cells.jpg\")