FIGURE 3.6 The neuron The cell body manufactures proteins and enzymes, which support cell functioning, as well as the chemical substances called neurotransmitters, which facilitate communication among neurons. The axon is the long shaft that conducts electrical impulses away from the cell body. Many axons are covered with a myelin sheath, which enhances the speed and efficiency with which signals travel along the axon. Branches at the end of the axon have terminals that release neurotransmitters into the synapses—the small spaces between the axon terminals of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another. The dendrites conduct impulses toward the cell body. An axon can have synapses with thousands of other neurons. (Adapted from Banich, 1997)