Compare and contrast the structure and function of axons and dendrites.

The nervous system can be described as an organ system that monitors the overall functioning of an organism’s body and regulates processes essential for survival. This organ system includes the brain and nerve fibers, and all of these are composed of neurons.

The term neuron is used for describing the specialized cells of the nervous system, which functions to transmit messages between the different regions of the body and units of the nervous system.

A neuron comprises three parts; a cell body, and two different extensions from it, one is the axon, and the other is a dendrite.

The axons and dendrites are extensions of the neuron’s cell body but they differ in structure and function. An axon is the longest part of the neuron, and there exists only a single axon in each neuron. In contrast, dendrites are short branches and are multiple.

In terms of functioning, axons are known for conducting messages from the cell body to a direction away from it (either to other neurons or target tissue). In contrast, dendrites are neurons that receive messages from nearby tissues or neurons and direct them towards the cell body.

.