How do you know a cup is hot or a kitten is soft? Sensory neurons in your skin send that news to your spinal cord and brain.
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These neurons have a funny shape. One short stalk comes out of the cell body and then splits into two long branches, like the letter T.
The round cell bodies sit in little lumps beside your spinal cord called ganglia.
Pseudo means fake, and unipolar means one end. They look like they have one branch, but it really splits into two!
The tip in your skin senses touch, pressure, heat, cold, or pain. The message then zooms straight past the cell body and on into your spinal cord, then up to your brain.
These messages keep you safe. They tell you to let go of a hot pan or to put on a coat when it is cold.
Close your eyes and ask someone to touch your arm gently with a cool spoon, then a soft cloth. Can you tell which is which? Then press Feel a touch on the 3D model.