Neurons are much like other cells of the body in their general organization and their biochemical systems. However they also possess unique features which are crucial to the functioning of the central nervous system. In essence, a given neuron may both receive and send out signals to neighboring neurons in the form of electrical pulses. The body of the cell contains the nucleus of the cell and carries the biochemical transformations necessary to synthesize enzymes and other molecules necessary to the life of the neuron. It is roughly spherical or pyramidal in shape - the precise shape depending on position and function in the brain.
Dendrites are some tens of microns in length.
The branch out into a tree-like form around the cell body. The dendrites are like electrical cables which serve to conduct incoming signals to the cell. The axon or nerve fiber is the outgoing connection for signals emitted by the neuron. It differs from the dendrites in its shape and by the properties of its external membrane. At its end it branches into smaller structures which communicate with other neurons.