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Which one of the following pairs of structures distinguishes a nerve cell from other types of cells?
A
vacuoles and fibres
B
flagellum and medullary sheath
C
nucleus and mitochondria
D
perikaryon and dendrites
Detailed Solution
A neuron has three major parts: the cell body, the dendrites and the axon.
The cell body of a neuron is called the cyton or perikaryon; the cytoplasm immediately surrounding the nucleus is loaded with protein-synthesising machinery in the form of Nissl's granules.
Dendrites are short, tapering and much-branched processes that project out of the cell body and carry impulses towards it; they may be one to several.
The perikaryon and the dendrites are found only in nerve cells, so this pair distinguishes a nerve cell from other types of cells.
A nucleus and mitochondria are present in almost all cells.
Vacuoles and fibres are not special to neurons, and a neuron has no flagellum.
So the distinguishing pair is perikaryon and dendrites.
The cell body of a neuron is called the cyton or perikaryon; the cytoplasm immediately surrounding the nucleus is loaded with protein-synthesising machinery in the form of Nissl's granules.
Dendrites are short, tapering and much-branched processes that project out of the cell body and carry impulses towards it; they may be one to several.
The perikaryon and the dendrites are found only in nerve cells, so this pair distinguishes a nerve cell from other types of cells.
A nucleus and mitochondria are present in almost all cells.
Vacuoles and fibres are not special to neurons, and a neuron has no flagellum.
So the distinguishing pair is perikaryon and dendrites.