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What are Dendrites and What is Their Function?

Answer – Dendrites are extensions of the nerve cell, and their function is to receive signals from other nerve cells and pass them to the cell body.

Explanation:

Nerve cells, also called neurons, can be roughly divided into two sections – the soma or cell body, and the axon. The soma is the section of the neuron that contains the nucleus, and from which the dendrites branch out. The axon is the long section of the neuron, ending in the axon terminal.

Drawing of a nerve cell (neuron) with its parts labelled.

Dendrites are fiber-like extensions from the soma that resemble tree branches. They are filled with cytoplasm that holds various organelles, including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and nissl bodies. 

Their function is to receive information from the axon endings of other neurons across the synapse in the form of electrical signals. They then conduct them to the soma of the neuron of which they are a part. Sometimes, dendrites can also store this information.


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