Soma

Soma

Soma (pronounced: /ˈsoʊmə/) is a term used in various medical and biological contexts.

Etymology

The term "soma" originates from the Greek word "σῶμα", which translates to "body".

Definition

In biology, soma refers to the body cells of an organism, excluding the germ cells. In neuroscience, soma is the cell body of a neuron, which contains the nucleus and is responsible for maintaining the life of the cell.

Related Terms

• Cytoplasm: The material within a living cell, excluding the cell nucleus. It comprises cytosol and the organelles – the cell's internal sub-structures. All of the contents of the cells of prokaryote organisms (such as bacteria, which lack a cell nucleus) are contained within the cytoplasm.
• Dendrite: The branched projections of a neuron that act to propagate the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project.
• Axon: A long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically conducts electrical impulses known as action potentials away from the nerve cell body.
• Neurotransmitter: Endogenous chemicals that enable neurotransmission. They transmit signals across a chemical synapse, such as a neuromuscular junction, from one neuron (nerve cell) to another "target" neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Soma
• Wikipedia's article - Soma

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