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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.
Propagation of Action Potentials01:23

Propagation of Action Potentials

The propagation of an action potential refers to the process by which a nerve impulse, or "action potential," travels along a neuron.
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation01:19

The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation

A postsynaptic neuron usually receives numerous impulses from several other presynaptic neurons. The axon hillock of the postsynaptic neuron integrates all these signals and determines the likelihood of firing an action potential.
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.
Neuronal Communication01:28

Neuronal Communication

Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

In Situ Visualization of Axon Growth and Growth Cone Dynamics in Acute Ex Vivo Embryonic Brain Slice Cultures
10:45

In Situ Visualization of Axon Growth and Growth Cone Dynamics in Acute Ex Vivo Embryonic Brain Slice Cultures

Published on: October 14, 2021

Neocortical axon arbors trade-off material and conduction delay conservation.

Julian M L Budd1, Krisztina Kovács, Alex S Ferecskó

  • 1School of Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom. j.m.l.budd@susx.ac.uk

Plos Computational Biology
|March 20, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Brain wiring is not purely about saving space or time. New research shows that a slight excess in axon length optimizes neural communication speed and precision in the cerebral cortex.

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings
10:24

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Published on: January 10, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2026

In Situ Visualization of Axon Growth and Growth Cone Dynamics in Acute Ex Vivo Embryonic Brain Slice Cultures
10:45

In Situ Visualization of Axon Growth and Growth Cone Dynamics in Acute Ex Vivo Embryonic Brain Slice Cultures

Published on: October 14, 2021

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings
10:24

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Published on: January 10, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Brain Anatomy

Background:

  • The brain's complex network relies on axons for rapid information transfer.
  • Axon morphology dictates information flow, with Cajal's conservation laws proposing wire length and conduction delay as key regulators.
  • The precise spatial and temporal costs of neocortical axons remain largely undefined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To empirically investigate Ramón y Cajal's conservation laws for whole three-dimensional (3D) axon arbors in the cerebral cortex.
  • To define the spatial and temporal communication costs of single neocortical axons.
  • To understand how axon branching principles optimize neuronal network communication.

Main Methods:

  • Reconstruction of in vivo labeled excitatory spiny and inhibitory basket cell intracortical axons.
  • Application of various graph optimization algorithms to analyze axon arbors.
  • Empirical investigation of Cajal's conservation laws in the cerebral cortex.

Main Results:

  • Intracortical axons were found to be significantly longer than theoretically optimal.
  • The temporal cost of cortical axons was suboptimal but superior to wire-minimized arbors.
  • Cortical axon branching promotes low temporal dispersion of axonal latencies and a strong correlation between cortical distance and latency.
  • Inhibitory basket cell axons may exhibit narrower latency windows than excitatory spiny cell axons, potentially enhancing signal detection.

Conclusions:

  • A modest excess of axonal wire is traded off to enhance arbor temporal economy and precision for optimized neuronal network communication.
  • These findings provide insights into brain organization and communication principles.
  • Temporal precision is critical for coincidence detection, synchronization, and rapid network oscillations in grey matter development.