Axons can be distinguished from dendrites by several features including shape, length, and function. ... Typically, axons transmit electrochemical signals and dendrites receive the electrochemical signals, although some types of neurons in certain species lack axons and simply transmit signals via their dendrites.

Do dendrites have axons?

Typically, axons transmit electrochemical signals and dendrites receive the electrochemical signals, although some types of neurons in certain species lack axons and simply transmit signals via their dendrites. ... Multipolar neurons, such as the one shown in the image, are composed of one axon and many dendritic trees.

What are dendrites composed of?

From this initial discovery, we now understand that dendrites are branched fibers that stem from the cell body (soma) of a neuron. Dendrites receive electrochemical messages, usually in the form of neurotransmitters, from other neurons via specialized receptors located on the surface of the dendrite (Urbanska et al.