The Axon

The axon is a nerve fiber that transmits electrical signals also known as action potentials from one cell to another. The signals travel from one direction, and that is from the cell body out to the synapse of a postsynaptic cell. The axon itself is comprised of many things. This includes the cell body, its nucleus where genetic material is held, dendrites, terminal buttons, nodes of ranvier, and the myelin sheath. The axon is a long fiber which generates action potentials. When the cell reaches threshold, an action potential fires. This is an all or nothing response. Anything below the threshold will not fire an action potential. In the same token, action potentials cannot be stronger or larger, they simple fire at a higher frequency if threshold is reached continuously.