What is the basic structural unit of the nervous system?

The basic structural unit of the nervous system is the neuron. Neurons are specialized cells responsible for transmitting information throughout the body via electrical and chemical signals. They consist of three main parts: the cell body, dendrites, and an axon. The cell body contains the nucleus and organelles, dendrites receive signals from other neurons, and the axon conducts impulses away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands. This unique structure allows neurons to efficiently interconnect and facilitate communication within the nervous system, making them pivotal for processing and relaying information.

Other choices may represent important cell types or structures in different systems: glial cells provide support and protection for neurons, the nephron is the functional unit of the kidney involved in filtering blood, and myocytes are muscle cells responsible for contraction. However, these do not play a central role in the fundamental architecture of the nervous system like neurons do.