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Spinal Motor Neuron
Spinal Motor Neurons
Histology
Lies within the anterior horn of the spinal cord. We note the following:
- Cell body
- Nucleus and nucleolus (which is prominent)
- Dendrite (a dendritic process)
- Axon hillock, which is cone-shaped and connects the cell body to the base of the axon.
Axon Hillock Physiology
- Membrane potentials from throughout the cell body spread to the axon hillock.
- If they depolarize it to its threshold, the axon will fire an action potential.
- Thus, the axon hillock is the decision-making center of the neuron.
Images
- Histological images modified with permission from http://medsci.indiana.edu/a215/virtualscope/docs/chap6_3.htm