Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Neuron Structure01:31

Neuron Structure

230.4K
Overview
230.4K
Neuron Structure01:30

Neuron Structure

17.6K
Neurons are the main type of cell in the nervous system that generate and transmit electrochemical signals. They primarily communicate with each other using neurotransmitters at specific junctions called synapses. Neurons come in many shapes that often relate to their function, but most share three main structures: an axon and dendrites that extend out from a cell body.
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to...
17.6K
Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

2.6K
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
2.6K
Neuronal Communication01:28

Neuronal Communication

2.9K
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...
2.9K
Nervous Tissue: Neuron Types01:19

Nervous Tissue: Neuron Types

5.8K
Neurons, the fundamental units of the nervous system, can be classified based on both their structural and functional characteristics.
Structurally, neurons are categorized into three main types: multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar (or pseudounipolar). Multipolar neurons, which are the most common type in the brain and spinal cord, as well as all motor neurons, possess multiple dendrites and a single axon.
Bipolar neurons, on the other hand, have one primary dendrite and one axon. They are...
5.8K
Neurons: The Axon01:21

Neurons: The Axon

6.8K
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....
6.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A light-off response characterised by body contraction and ciliary arrest in Acropora coral larvae.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Neural connectome of the ctenophore statocyst.

eLife·2026
Same author

Dynamics and emergence of metachronal waves in the ciliary band of a metazoan larva.

Science advances·2025
Same author

Whole-body connectome of a segmented annelid larva.

eLife·2025
Same author

Fundamental questions in meiofauna research highlight how small but ubiquitous animals can improve our understanding of Nature.

Communications biology·2025
Same author

Microalgal biofilm induces larval settlement in the model marine worm <i>Platynereis dumerilii</i>.

Royal Society open science·2024
Same journal

Increased rates of hybridization in swordtails are associated with water pollution.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Visual uncertainty and task demands shape active sensing strategies in mice.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

An adaptable, self-organizing, single-cell morphology circuit optimizes suctorian predatory trap structure.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Temporal tuning of switch-like virulence expression resolves environmental uncertainty through phenotypic heterogeneity.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

An abstract relational map emerges in the human medial prefrontal cortex with consolidation.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Phloem evolved gradually and asynchronously to xylem in early vascular plants.

Current biology : CB·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Generation and Long-term Maintenance of Nerve-free Hydra
06:33

Generation and Long-term Maintenance of Nerve-free Hydra

Published on: July 7, 2017

12.9K

Neuronal connectomics: Hydra's non-synaptic nerve net.

Alexandra Kerbl1, Gáspár Jékely2

  • 1Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

Current Biology : CB
|December 16, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The simple nervous system of Hydra vulgaris uses neural interdigitations, or 'handshakes', instead of traditional synapses. This electron microscopy study reveals novel neural connections in the cnidarian polyp.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology
09:44

Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology

Published on: March 8, 2024

5.7K
Anatomically Inspired Three-dimensional Micro-tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Nervous System Reconstruction, Modulation, and Modeling
10:45

Anatomically Inspired Three-dimensional Micro-tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Nervous System Reconstruction, Modulation, and Modeling

Published on: May 31, 2017

13.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Generation and Long-term Maintenance of Nerve-free Hydra
06:33

Generation and Long-term Maintenance of Nerve-free Hydra

Published on: July 7, 2017

12.9K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology
09:44

Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology

Published on: March 8, 2024

5.7K
Anatomically Inspired Three-dimensional Micro-tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Nervous System Reconstruction, Modulation, and Modeling
10:45

Anatomically Inspired Three-dimensional Micro-tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Nervous System Reconstruction, Modulation, and Modeling

Published on: May 31, 2017

13.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Zoology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The cnidarian polyp Hydra vulgaris possesses a rudimentary nervous system comprising two distinct nerve nets.
  • Understanding neural communication mechanisms in simple organisms is crucial for evolutionary biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural basis of neural connections within the endodermal nerve net of Hydra vulgaris.
  • To determine if conventional synaptic structures are present in the Hydra vulgaris nervous system.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized advanced volume electron microscopy to achieve high-resolution imaging of the endodermal nerve net.
  • Analyzed neural tissue to identify and characterize intercellular connections.

Main Results:

  • Revealed that neural connections in the endodermal nerve net are formed by specialized structures termed neural interdigitations or 'handshakes'.
  • Demonstrated the absence of classical synaptic junctions in the studied nerve net.

Conclusions:

  • Hydra vulgaris employs a unique mode of neural communication through 'handshakes' rather than synapses.
  • This finding offers new insights into the diversity of neural structures and signaling mechanisms in invertebrates.