In some ways, neurons act like computers. That is, they receive messages, process those messages, and send out the results as new messages to other cells. In the case of neurons, the message consists of chemicals that interact with the outer surface of the cell membrane. This chemical interaction with the cell membrane causes chemical changes within the receiving neuron. Once inside, those chemicals can be processed-broken down or changed into other chemicals.
Chemicals can also leave the cell and function as the cell's output.
One name for the constant exchange of chemical messages between neurons is neurotransmission . Neurotransmission involves three basic steps. In this section you'll find an overview of each step. A resting neuron has a negative charge. That is, there are more negative ions inside the axon than outside the axon.