Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this
website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website
may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to
inquiries until appropriations are enacted.
The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more
details about its operating status, please visit
cc.nih.gov.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal
operations can be found at opm.gov.
Nerve cells, also known as neurons, carry information through our bodies using electrical impulses and chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. A nerve cell’s size and shape depend on its role and location, but nearly all nerve cells have three main parts:
Dendrites that extend like branches and receive signals
A cell body containing the nucleus that holds the genetic material of the cell and controls its actions
National Institute of
