Nerve fibers
Nerve Fibers
Nerve fibers (pronunciation: /nɜːrv faɪbərz/) are long, slender projections of nerve cells, or neurons, that transmit electrical impulses around the body. They are a key component of the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
Etymology
The term "nerve fiber" is derived from the Latin nervus meaning "sinew, tendon, nerve" and the Old English fibre meaning "a thread or filament".
Types of Nerve Fibers
There are three main types of nerve fibers:
- Afferent nerve fibers: These fibers carry sensory information from the body to the brain and spinal cord.
- Efferent nerve fibers: These fibers transmit signals from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
- Interneurons: These fibers connect different neurons within the brain and spinal cord.
Related Terms
- Axon: The long, threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.
- Myelin: A fatty substance that surrounds and insulates the axons of some nerve fibers, increasing the speed at which impulses are conducted.
- Neuroglia: Also known as glial cells, these are non-neuronal cells in the nervous system that support and protect neurons.
- Synapse: The junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Nerve fibers
- Wikipedia's article - Nerve fibers
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