Neuron or Nerve cell (तंत्रिका कोशिका) Easy Explanation in Hindi

Nerve Cells-
The nervous system is very complex, nervous tissue consists of just two basic types of nerve cells: neurons and glial cells. Neurons are the structural and functional units of the nervous system. They transmit electrical signals, called nerve impulses. Glial cells provide support for neurons. For example, they provide neurons with nutrients and other materials.

Neuron Structure
As shown in Figure below, a neuron consists of three basic parts: the cell body, dendrites, and axon.

The cell body contains the nucleus and other cell organelles.
Dendrites extend from the cell body and receive nerve impulses from other neurons.
The axon is a long extension of the cell body that transmits nerve impulses to other cells. The axon branches at the end, forming axon terminals. These are the points where the neuron communicates with other cells.
Illustration of a neuron

The structure of a neuron allows it to rapidly transmit nerve impulses to other cells.

The axon of many neurons has an outer layer called a myelin sheath (see Figure above).Myelin is a lipid produced by a type of a glial cell known as a Schwann cell. The myelin sheath acts like a layer of insulation, similar to the plastic that encases an electrical cord. Regularly spaced nodes, or gaps, in the myelin sheath allow nerve impulses to skip along the axon very rapidly.

Types of Neurons
Neurons are classified based on the direction in which they carry nerve impulses.

Sensory neurons carry nerve impulses from tissues and organs to the spinal cord and brain.
Motor neurons carry nerve impulses from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands(see Figure below).
Interneurons carry nerve impulses back and forth between sensory and motor neurons.