“Note that the place where the axon leaves the soma is called the axon hillock. When I discuss activity in the nerve cells, what I mean is the nerve impulse, or action potential, which typically begins at the axon hillock. In a sense, the axon hillock is the most sensitive or ticklish place in the neuron: If you can create a strong enough signal at the axon hillock, it will react by initiating an action potential.

“I’ll show you how the action potential operates in a minute, but first, let's finish our little tour of the neuron, yah?”