Which structure carries messages away from the soma?

Which structure carries messages away from the soma?

• A. Axon
• B. Dendrite
• C. Synapse
• D. Soma

Answer: (A)

In neurons, messages that originate in the cell body are sent onward along a specialized projection called the axon. The axon is built to carry electrical impulses away from the soma toward distant targets, such as other neurons or muscles. When the impulse reaches the axon terminals, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse to pass the signal to the next cell. Dendrites, by contrast, are structures that receive incoming signals; the soma (cell body) integrates these inputs; and the synapse is the junction where communication occurs. So the axon is the part that carries messages away from the soma.

In neurons, messages that originate in the cell body are sent onward along a specialized projection called the axon. The axon is built to carry electrical impulses away from the soma toward distant targets, such as other neurons or muscles. When the impulse reaches the axon terminals, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse to pass the signal to the next cell. Dendrites, by contrast, are structures that receive incoming signals; the soma (cell body) integrates these inputs; and the synapse is the junction where communication occurs. So the axon is the part that carries messages away from the soma.