Definition

Noun: A specialized cell in the nervous system that transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. It is the fundamental unit of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Examples

• The nerve cell uses long fibers called axons to send signals to other cells.
• Damage to a single nerve cell can disrupt communication within a neural network.
• Scientists are studying how the nerve cell processes information.

Advanced Usage

• "to fire" (of a nerve cell): To generate and propagate an electrical impulse.
  • When stimulated, the nerve cell will fire, sending a signal down its axon.
• "to synapse": To communicate with another cell at a junction called a synapse.
  • One nerve cell synapses onto thousands of others, creating complex circuits.

Variants and Related Words

• Neuron (n): The more common scientific term for a nerve cell; often used interchangeably.
  • The human brain contains billions of neurons.
• Neural (adj): Relating to a nerve cell or the nervous system.
  • They studied the neural pathways involved in memory.

Synonyms

• Neuron: The primary synonym in biological and medical contexts.

Related Phrases

• Nerve cell body: The central part of the cell containing the nucleus.
  • The nerve cell body integrates incoming signals.
• Nerve cell membrane: The outer boundary that controls the flow of ions.
  • The nerve cell membrane maintains an electrical charge difference.

Noun

1. a cell that is specialized to conduct nerve impulses