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Related Concept Videos

Neurons: The Axon01:21

Neurons: The Axon

Axons are long, cytoplasmic processes of nerve cells capable of propagating electrical impulses known as action potentials. The cytoplasm or axoplasm of an axon contains neurofibrils, neurotubules, small vesicles, lysosomes, mitochondria, and various enzymes, all encased within the axolemma, the plasma membrane of the axon.
The axon attaches to the cell body at a cone-shaped elevation called the axon hillock. The initial part of the axon, closest to the hillock, is known as the initial segment.
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
Nervous Tissue: Myelin01:25

Nervous Tissue: Myelin

The myelin sheath is a multilayered lipid and protein covering that insulates the axon of a neuron, enhancing the speed of nerve impulse conduction. Axons without this sheath are referred to as unmyelinated. Two types of neuroglia, Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) are responsible for producing myelin sheaths.
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures01:32

Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures

Complex microtubule structures are present in resting cells and in dividing cells. In resting cells, they are responsible for maintaining the cellular architecture, tracks for intracellular transport, positioning of organelles, assembly of cilia and flagella. They mediate the bipolar spindle assembly for chromosomal segregation and positioning of the cell division plate in dividing cells. The formation of microtubule complex structures depends on the cell type, cell stage, and cell function.

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Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

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Supramedullary Neurons in Teleost Fishes: Distribution and Putative Functions.

Journal of morphology·2025
Same author

Multiple Neuronal Processes, Including the Mauthner Axon, Form a Multi-Axial Fiber Within a Common Myelin Sheath in the Central Nervous System of Adult Lungfishes, Protopterus annectens, Lepidosiren paradoxa, and Neoceratodus forsteri.

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Neural responses to light stimulation in the octopus arm.

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Octopus as a comparative model for understanding the neural control of limb movement and limb-based behaviors.

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Mechanosensory signal transmission in the arms and the nerve ring, an interarm connective, of <i>Octopus bimaculoides</i>.

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Multiple nerve cords connect the arms of octopuses, providing alternative paths for inter-arm signaling.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Production and Isolation of Axons from Sensory Neurons for Biochemical Analysis Using Porous Filters
12:00

Production and Isolation of Axons from Sensory Neurons for Biochemical Analysis Using Porous Filters

Published on: July 8, 2014

Evolution of the Mauthner axon cap.

Hilary S Bierman1, Steven J Zottoli, Melina E Hale

  • 1Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill., USA. hilaryb@brandeis.edu

Brain, Behavior and Evolution
|June 5, 2009
PubMed
Summary

The Mauthner cell

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Comparative anatomy

Background:

  • Vertebrate brain evolution studies often focus on gene expression or regional changes.
  • The Mauthner cell, crucial for the startle response, offers a cellular model for evolutionary comparisons.
  • Variations in Mauthner cell-initiated motor patterns suggest differences in its associated axon cap structure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare Mauthner cell axon cap morphology across diverse vertebrate species.
  • To investigate the evolutionary transitions of axon cap structure.
  • To correlate axon cap evolution with the development of startle behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Light microscopy was employed to examine axon cap morphology.
  • A wide range of species were studied, including basal actinopterygians, teleosts, and lungfishes.

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The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
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Assessment of Ultrastructural Neuroplasticity Parameters After In Utero Transduction of the Developing Mouse Brain and Spinal Cord
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Assessment of Ultrastructural Neuroplasticity Parameters After In Utero Transduction of the Developing Mouse Brain and Spinal Cord

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Last Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Production and Isolation of Axons from Sensory Neurons for Biochemical Analysis Using Porous Filters
12:00

Production and Isolation of Axons from Sensory Neurons for Biochemical Analysis Using Porous Filters

Published on: July 8, 2014

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
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The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo

Published on: October 30, 2014

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Assessment of Ultrastructural Neuroplasticity Parameters After In Utero Transduction of the Developing Mouse Brain and Spinal Cord

Published on: February 26, 2019

  • Data were synthesized with existing published descriptions of axon cap structures.

    • Main Results:

    • Three distinct axon cap morphologies were identified: 'simple', 'simple-dense', and 'composite'.
    • 'Composite' caps, found in teleosts, feature glia and interneuron fibers.
    • 'Simple' caps (lungfish, amphibians, some basal actinopterygians) lack glia and have few fibers.
    • 'Simple-dense' caps have more fibers but lack the organization of composite caps.
    • Phylogenetic mapping revealed evolutionary transitions in axon cap morphology at key points in vertebrate evolution.

    Conclusions:

    • Axon cap morphology shows distinct evolutionary trajectories.
    • The evolution of axon cap structure is linked to the evolution of startle behaviors.
    • Understanding axon cap evolution provides insights into Mauthner cell function and behavioral diversity.