What is the long, narrow extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body?

What is the long, narrow extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body?

• A. Nucleus
• B. Axon
• C. Dendrite
• D. Soma

Answer: (B)

The long, narrow extension that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body is the axon. The axon is the main conducting fiber of a neuron, transmitting action potentials from the soma to the nerve terminals where signals are passed to other neurons, muscles, or glands. By contrast, dendrites are branched structures that receive incoming signals and channel them toward the cell body. The nucleus sits inside the cell body (soma), which is the neuron's central region. Axons can be insulated with myelin to speed up signal transmission and end in axon terminals that form synapses with target cells.

The long, narrow extension that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body is the axon. The axon is the main conducting fiber of a neuron, transmitting action potentials from the soma to the nerve terminals where signals are passed to other neurons, muscles, or glands. By contrast, dendrites are branched structures that receive incoming signals and channel them toward the cell body. The nucleus sits inside the cell body (soma), which is the neuron's central region. Axons can be insulated with myelin to speed up signal transmission and end in axon terminals that form synapses with target cells.