The "roads" that allow brain cells (neurons) to communicate with each other are primarily their axons and the synapses between neurons.
- Axons act like cables or roads that transmit electrical impulses (called action potentials) from one neuron to another. The axon carries the signal away from the neuron's cell body.
- At the end of the axon are synapses, the specialized junctions where the communication occurs between neurons. Electrical signals reaching the synapse are converted into chemical signals through neurotransmitters released into the synaptic cleft (the gap between neurons).
- Neurotransmitters travel across the synaptic gap to receptors on the neighboring neuron's dendrites, converting the chemical signal back into an electrical signal in the receiving neuron, continuing the communication chain.
- Inside the axons, microtubules serve as internal "roadways" along which cellular components like neurotransmitter-filled vesicles are transported to facilitate this communication.
- Additionally, myelin sheaths wrapped around axons act like insulation, speeding up the electrical impulses traveling along the axon, akin to highways enhancing communication efficiency.
In short, neurons communicate via electrical signals traveling along axons (the roads) and chemical signals crossing synapses (the communication hubs), with microtubules providing the internal road system for transporting critical elements within neurons.
