Why is the flow of signals in a synapse from the axonal end of one neuron to the dendritic end of another neuron but not the reverse?
Answer
- In nerve cells signals go from;
Dendrites → Soma → Axon → Nerve endings → Synapse → Dendrite of next neuron
- Signals are in the form of electric impulses as they pass from dendrites to nerve endings .
- Signals are in the form of chemicals called neurotransmitters during transmission of messages across the synapse .
- The chemicals called neurotransmitters are not present in the dendrites, they are only present in the axon.
- So, the dendrites cannot convert electrical impulses to chemical impulses . Thus the flow of signals in a synapse is from the axonal end one one neuron to the dendritic end of another neuron but not the reverse.
