What is the difference between Axons and Dendrites?

Axon and dendrites are known to be two important parts of nerve cells. They are both involved in making sure that nerve impulses will work. Dendrites are branched from the neurons while the axons are not branched from the neurons. Axons are also longer.

They will make sure that nerve impulses will be removed from the nerve cells. Axons will also make sure that different electrical and chemical signals will be transmitted to the right cells. Dendrites will be the receiver of these signals that are being carried out by the axons. This explains why they should work well together. Take note that these two do not need to touch in order to carry out the signals properly.

Axon passes nerve impulses away from the cell body while dendrites pass nerve impulses towards the cell body. Axon is a long cytoplasmic accumulation that arises from the cell body of the neuron. It passes nerve impulses away from the cell body to effectors, which are situated in muscles and glands. Each neuron has a single axon, and there are specific cells located in the myelin sheath.

Axons can be both myelinated or non-myelinated. Dendrites are the abbreviated cytoplasmic extensions stemming from the cell body and facilitate neurons to accept impulses simultaneously from different receptors from all over the body.

Motor neurons and interneurons have branched dendrites, and usually possess highly branched dendrites. The dendrites are short extensions that pass nerve impulses toward the cell body. The axon, on the other hand, is the long extension of the neuron that passes nerve impulses away from the cell body.