what is found in axon terminals What is the significance of

what is found in axon terminals? What is the significance of the axon hillock

Solution

In the axon terminal:

The axon after arising from the cell body may extend to a meter as well. The distal end or the end where the axon nears its termination is called the axon terminal. It is surround by a neighboring neuron. There is a gap between the axon terminal and the neighboring neuron, referred to as the synapse, which is responsible for transmitting neural signals. Thus, the axon terminal has within it neuro-receptors and synaptic vesicles having neurotransmitters such as serotonin that aid the transmission of signals.

Significance of axon hillock:

The nerve cell comprises of cell body, dendrites that arise from the cell body and axon. The axon also extends from the cell body. At its origin from the cell body the axon appears protruding and conic. This area is surrounded by a plasma membrane called plasma lemma and is devoid of the Nissl granules. The area is referred to as axon hillock. The axon hillock is significant not only due to its protruding and prominent structure that differentiates it from the cell body and the rest of the axon process but also because it is the end-point of the cell body where all synaptic inputs in the form of membrane potentials sum up for further transmission through the axon.