Various forms of nerve cells. A. Pyramidal cell. B. Small multipolar cell, in which the axon quickly divides into numerous branches. C. Small fusiform cell. D and E. Ganglion cells
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| colspan="2" |Pyramidal cell from the cerebral cortex of a mouse.
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|Latin
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|colspan="2"|[subject #183 ]
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|System
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|Precursor
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|MeSH
|colspan="2"|[A11.671.790]
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|Dorlands/Elsevier
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A pyramidal cell (or pyramidal neuron, or projection neuron) is a multipolarneuron located in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. These cells have a triangularly shaped soma, or cell body, a single apical dendrite extending towards the pial surface, multiple basal dendrites, and a single axon. Pyramidal neurons compose approximately 80% of the neurons of the cortex, and release glutamate as their neurotransmitter, making them the major excitatory component of the cortex (see synapse).
