Nursing Entrance Exam Practice Test 2025 – Complete Prep Resource

An axon is the extension of a neuron responsible for carrying impulses away from the neuron's cell body to another cell, such as another neuron or a muscle cell. This long, slender projection facilitates communication across the nervous system by transmitting electrical signals, known as action potentials, over distances. The axon eventually branches into smaller fibers that end in axon terminals, where neurotransmitters are released to transmit the signal to the next cell.

In contrast, the cyton, or cell body, primarily contains the nucleus and organelles, playing a pivotal role in maintaining the cell's health and function rather than propagating impulses. The synapse is the junction between neurons where the transmission of nerve impulses occurs, but it is not an extension of a neuron. Dendrites are structures that receive signals from other neurons and convey them towards the cell body, which is the opposite function of what is carried out by the axon.