What cell structure connects the neuron to another cell for signal transmission?

The axon terminal is the specialized structure that connects neurons to other cells for the purpose of signal transmission. At the axon terminal, the neuron releases neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, which is the space between the axon terminal and the receiving cell, whether that cell is another neuron, a muscle cell, or a gland cell. This process is essential for communication within the nervous system and facilitates the transmission of signals across synapses, allowing for the coordination of body functions and responses.

Dendrites, while critical for receiving incoming signals from other neurons, do not connect to other cells for the purpose of transmitting those signals. The neuron body, or soma, contains the nucleus and organelles but is not involved in direct signal transmission. The myelin sheath serves to insulate and protect the axon, enhancing the speed of signal transmission along the axon itself, but it does not participate in connecting the neuron to other cells.