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Neurons are classified as unipolar, bipolar, or multipolar according to the number of processes that originate from the cell body. A. Unipolar cells have a
single process emanating from the cell. Different segments serve as receptive surfaces or releasing terminals. Unipolar cells are characteristic of the
invertebrate nervous system.
B. Bipolar cells have two types of processes that are functionally specialized. The dendrite receives electrical signals and the axon transmits signals to
other cells.
C. Pseudo-unipolar
variants
of Circuitry,
bipolar cells
carry somatosensory
information
to Fifth
the spinal
Source: cells
Nerveare
Cells,
Neural
andthat
Behavior,
Principles of Neural
Science,
Editoncord. During development the two processes of
the embryonic
bipolar
cell
fuse
and
emerge
from
the
cell
body
as
a
single
process
that
has
two
functionally
segments.
function
as
Citation: Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM, Siegelbaum SA, Hudspeth AJ, Mack S. Principlesdistinct
of Neural
Science,Both
Fifthsegments
Editon; 2012
Available
axons; one extendsat:
tohttp://mhmedical.com/
peripheral skin or muscle,
the
other
to
the
central
spinal
cord.
(Adapted,
with
permission,
from
Ramón
y
Cajal
1933.)
Accessed: May 11, 2017
D. MultipolarCopyright
cells have
a single
axon and
many dendrites.
are the most common type of neuron in the mammalian nervous system. Three
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McGraw-Hill
Education.
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examples illustrate the large diversity of these cells. Spinal motor neurons innervate skeletal muscle fibers. Pyramidal cells have a roughly triangular cell