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Dendritic Cell Types

The central nervous system is responsible for gathering sensory information and coordinating voluntary and involuntary motions. Neurons are complex cells that collect and send sensory information through a network of appendages. A neuron is composed centrally of a cell body with an axon that sends information to the next neuron and a system of dendrites to collect incoming signals. Depending on the primary function of the neuron, different types of dendrites may be present. Pyramidal neurons provide an excellent example of several types of dendrites present in one cell.

  1. Pyramidal Neurons

    • Pyramidal neurons are primarily located in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, entorhinal and olfactory cortex. They are one of the largest neurons in the body and are essential for sensory, learning and memory functions. The cell body is pyramidal shaped and has a single axon extending from the cell body, an apical dendrite extending from the apex that divides, a branching network of basilar dendrites from the base of the cell and dendritic spines protruding from the associated dendrites.

    Apical Dendrites

    • Apical dendrites originate from the apex of the cell body and branch as they spread from the cell body. The apical dendrite's classification is dependent on its proximal or distal location. The distal dendrite is located opposite of the axon and forms nonlocal synapses. The proximal dendrites radiate locally and connect to other pyramidal cells and interneurons.

    Basilar Dendrites

    • Basilar dendrites originate directly from the body of the cell. Several basilar dendrites then separate into smaller, shorter branches. Often these branches may organize into columns of cells. The basilar dendrites are responsible for forming the majority of synapses in the pyramidal cell.

    Dendritic Spines

    • Dendritic spines are small protrusions that derive from the dendrite and may number in the thousands for each neuron. Their rounded shape characterizes them as thin, mushroom or stubby spines. Each spine receives input from a single synapse of an axon terminal and helps to transfer the excitatory postsynaptic potential to the neurons. Collectively, dendritic spines, apical and basilar dendrites help to form a network of cellular processes to gather incoming neuron signaling in the central nervous system.

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