In nervous tissue, what is the primary function of the axon in a neuron?

• A. It conducts action potentials away from the cell body toward other cells.
• B. It receives incoming signals and conducts graded potentials toward the cell body.
• C. It produces cerebrospinal fluid to support and cushion nervous tissue.
• D. It provides the myelin sheath that insulates neuronal processes.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the structure of a neuron, which includes the cell body (soma), dendrites, and the axon. Each part has a specific role in neural communication.
2. Step 2: Recognize that dendrites primarily receive incoming signals and conduct graded potentials toward the cell body, which is different from the axon's function.
3. Step 3: Identify that the axon is specialized for conducting electrical impulses called action potentials away from the cell body toward other neurons, muscles, or glands.
4. Step 4: Note that the production of cerebrospinal fluid is not a function of neurons but rather of specialized glial cells called ependymal cells.
5. Step 5: Understand that the myelin sheath, which insulates axons to speed up signal conduction, is produced by glial cells (Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system), not by the axon itself.