Nervous System vs Cells There are 2 types of cells in the Nervous System: Nerve Cells and Receptor Cells. Nerve cells have 2 names: Glial cells and Neuron cells. Nerve cells: glial and neuron cells, structure is long extentions called axons. The structure, long extensions, allows for the main functions of the nerve cells. One of the functins is that it helps nerve cells reach all parts of the body. Another function of the nerve cell, possible by the long axon extension is that it provides a pathway for the message to travel on. For example the axon is like a long highway. Cars act like the nerve messages, its easier for cars to travel on a long highway than short, curvy, bumpy, backroads, just like the nerve messages!
Receptor cells have different structures and functions than nerve cells. They are found in receptor organs like the eyes, nose, skin, etc. They allow us to have our 5 senses: smell, taste, touch, hearing, and sight. Receptor cells are specialized nerve cells. Each type of receptor cell is specialized to recieve a particular type of signal. Receptor cells on the skin that allow touch (like the one above) can detect types of touch like pain, pressure and temperature. Receptor cells in the eye (above) detect light and receptor cells in the ear (also above) are sensitive to air waves. Receptor cells on the tongue, taste and the nose (both above) can sense chemical substances. Those are the functions of all the different receptor cells.
There are 2 types of cells in the Nervous System: Nerve Cells and Receptor Cells. Nerve cells have 2 names: Glial cells and Neuron cells.
Nerve cells: glial and neuron cells, structure is long extentions called axons. The structure, long extensions, allows for the main functions of the nerve cells. One of the functins is that it helps nerve cells reach all parts of the body. Another function of the nerve cell, possible by the long axon extension is that it provides a pathway for the message to travel on. For example the axon is like a long highway. Cars act like the nerve messages, its easier for cars to travel on a long highway than short, curvy, bumpy, backroads, just like the nerve messages!