Axon hillock

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Axon Hillock

The Axon Hillock (/ˈæksɒn ˈhɪlɒk/) is a specialized part of the neuron that connects the soma (or cell body) to the axon. The axon hillock is the last site in the soma where membrane potentials propagated from synaptic inputs are summated before being transmitted to the axon.

Etymology

The term "Axon Hillock" comes from the Greek word "axon", meaning axis, and the Latin word "hillock", meaning a small hill, referring to the small elevation where the axon emerges from the soma.

Function

The axon hillock plays a crucial role in the neuron's ability to communicate with other neurons. It is commonly referred to as the neuron's "trigger zone" because it is where action potentials are initiated. This is due to its high concentration of voltage-gated sodium channels, which allow for rapid changes in membrane potential.

Related Terms

  • Action potential: The change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.
  • Neuron: A specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.
  • Soma (biology): The cell body of a neuron, containing the nucleus.
  • Voltage-gated sodium channel: A class of transmembrane proteins that allow sodium ions to pass through them, found in the membrane of excitable cells (such as neurons and muscle cells).

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