Neurons communicate with each other and with effector cells by means of synapses. Synapses are the specialized junctions of neurons through which impulses travel from one neuron to the next. Shown here is a chemical synapse, but electrical synapses also exist. The vesicles that contain the neurotransmitter are easily visible in the axon terminal. The postsynaptic membrane has receptor sites that interact with the neurotransmitter, leading to the development of post-synaptic potentials.
Neurons come in a large variety of shapes, sizes and forms.
They are often classified according to the number of processes that extend from the cell body. Figure by GPT Multipolar neurons are the most common type. These cells have multiple dendritic processes, which them an irregular shape. Bipolar cells are rare- these cells consist of a single axon and a single dendrite. These cells are found in the retina of the eye and in several of the cranial nerves.