Question

What is the main function of the human nerve cells?

Answer 1

Hint: This is the longest cell in our body which carries information to the entire body in the form of nerve impulses.

Complete answer:
Neurons are also known as nerve cells are a highly active component of the nervous system. The main function of a neuron is to communicate with each other and also with other cells through electronic signals or nerve impulses from the brain to the body and also back which means they transmit nerve impulses.
The neuron is divided into different parts such as the cell body, dendrites, axons, etc. plays different roles which helps the neuron to carry out its functions effectively.
The cell body or soma contains the nucleus. Other than connecting the dendrites and axons (which allows for nerve impulses to be transmitted from one cell to another), the soma is also the site of protein synthesis.

By increasing the overall surface area the dendrites also play an important role in the transmission of nerve impulses. Dendrites receive electrical impulses from axons of other nerve cells which get accumulated in the soma before being sent to the axon hillock (the site where the axon is attached to the cell body).
The axon contains microtubules along the length and specialized insulating substance myelin on its surface that boosts the transmission of nerve impulses.


                 

                   Diagram showing different parts of a neuron.


Notes:
1. The brain of the human alone consists of about 100 billion neurons. If all these neurons were kept in a line, it would form a 600-mile long line.
2. In a child developing inside a womb, neurons develop at the rate of 250,000 neurons per minute.
3. The diameter of the neurons can range between 4 to 100 micron.
4. Around 13,500,000 neurons are present in the human spinal cord.