Neuronal Organelles
Jim Hutchins
The companion book Introduction to Neuroscience contains a list of the organelles found in all eukaryotic cells, including neurons. Please refer to the chapter on organelles in that book for a longer explanation of the structure and function of each of these organelles. Integrative Human Anatomy and Physiology also contains a rundown of the nucleus (Unit 6) and other organelles (Unit 5) with a more general treatment of their functions in all cells.
Among the organelles discussed in subsequent chapters are the:
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neuronal membrane (keeping insides in and outsides out, as well as transducing information carried by extracellular signaling molecules into information carried by intracellular signaling molecules);
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nucleus (information storage);
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rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes (synthesis of proteins);
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Golgi complex (post-translational modification of proteins);
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smooth endoplasmic reticulum (one type is for storage of Ca2+ while another takes care of “garbage disposal”);
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lysosomes;
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mitochondria (energy production);
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smooth endoplasmic reticulum (a third type synthesizes lipids);
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cytoskeleton (growth of immature neurons and structural integrity of mature neurons).