Dendrites

Dendritae

NervousNervesWhole body

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What it is

Several thick, tapering processes that leave the soma and branch again and again into a tree; their surfaces are studded with tiny spines where other neurons make contact.

Function

Collect thousands of incoming synaptic signals and carry the resulting graded potentials toward the soma, where they are added up at the axon hillock.

Size

A real dendritic tree spans 0.2-1 mm; branches taper from ~5 to under 1 micrometre

Clinical note

Dendritic spines grow and shrink with learning; their loss is an early change in Alzheimer disease.