Dendritic

Dendritic refers to the branched projections of a neuron that act to propagate the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project.

Structure

Dendrites are one of two types of protoplasmic protrusions that extrude from the cell body of a neuron, the other type being an axon. Dendrites are typically shorter than axons and are unmyelinated. They also tend to branch profusely, getting thinner with each branching, and not reaching as far as axons do. The types of dendrites include multi-polar, bipolar, and unipolar.

Function

Dendrites play a critical role in integrating these synaptic inputs and in determining the extent to which action potentials are produced by the neuron. The structure and branching of a neuron's dendrites heavily influences how it transmits and integrates information.

Clinical significance

Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells (also known as accessory cells) of the mammalian immune system. Their main function is to process antigen material and present it on the cell surface to the T cells of the immune system. They act as messengers between the innate and the adaptive immune systems.

See also

• Neuron
• Axon
• Nervous system
• Immune system

References

Dendritic Resources
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