What do neurons look like?

Neurons look like a star with a tail. They consist of three distinctive parts – the cell body, an axon and multiple dendrites. The cell body, or soma, is the central part of the neuron. It houses the nucleus, the cell's genetic material, and various organelles essential for cellular functions. The axon is a long, slender projection that extends from the soma. It can vary in length from very short to very long. The axon is responsible for transmitting signals from the cell to other neurons, muscles, or glands. Dendrites look like tree branches extending from the cell body. Each neuron has multiple dendrites, which are responsible for receiving incoming signals from other neurons or sensory receptors. Tiny spaces called synapses lie between the axons and dendrites of neurons that are in close proximity to each other. These nearby neurons communicate with each other by transmitting neurotransmitters across synapses. The exact appearance of neurons may vary depending on their location and function in the nervous system. However, the basic structure remains similar in all.