What part of the neuron is responsible for transmitting signals away from the cell body?

The axon is the part of the neuron that is primarily responsible for transmitting signals away from the cell body. This long, slender projection conducts electrical impulses, known as action potentials, that travel down its length to communicate with other neurons, muscles, or glands. The structure of the axon is specifically designed to facilitate this long-distance transmission; it is typically covered in a myelin sheath, which speeds up the conduction of impulses and insulates the axon to prevent signal loss.

While dendrites are the structures that receive signals from other neurons and convey this information to the cell body, it is the axon that carries the action potential away from the cell body and toward the next target. The cell body, also known as the soma, contains the nucleus and is responsible for maintaining the overall health of the neuron but does not play a direct role in signal transmission. The synapse is the junction between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released to transmit signals, but it is not part of the neuron itself that carries impulses away from the cell body.