MOTOR NEURON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does motor neuron mean? 

• MOTOR NEURON (noun)
  The noun MOTOR NEURON has 1 sense:

1. a neuron conducting impulses outwards from the brain or spinal cord

  Familiarity information: MOTOR NEURON used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOTOR NEURON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A neuron conducting impulses outwards from the brain or spinal cord

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

efferent neuron; motoneuron; motor nerve fiber; motor neuron

Hypernyms ("motor neuron" is a kind of...):

nerve cell; neuron (a cell that is specialized to conduct nerve impulses)

Holonyms ("motor neuron" is a part of...):

efferent; efferent nerve; motor nerve (a nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands)

 Context examples 

This gene encodes a transcription factor that plays a role in both pituitary development and motor neuron specification.

(LHX3 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

GDNF can rescue motor neurons from programmed cell death and death caused by axotomy.

(Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor, NCI Thesaurus/LocusLink)

A neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of the motor neurons of the central nervous system.

(Familial Amyloidosis, NCI Thesaurus)

It may be observed in patients with stroke, motor neuron disorders, cancer of the throat or mouth, head and neck injuries, Parkinson disease, and multiple sclerosis.

(Dysphagia, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes LIM/homeobox protein LHX3, is a transcription factor involved in motor neuron specification and pituitary development.

(LHX3 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This signal causes the motor neurons to fire, resulting in contraction of the muscle.

(Muscle Spindle, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein plays a role in the differentiation of oligodendrocytes and motor neurons.

(Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2 Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in transcriptional regulation and oligodendrocyte and motor neuron differentiation.

(OLIG2 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

It binds RNA in a sequence-specific manner to regulate neuron-specific splicing of inhibitory receptor pre-mRNAs in postnatal motor neurons.

(Neuro-Oncological Ventral Antigen 1, NCI Thesaurus)

The neuromuscular junction communicates action potentials from motor neurons across a synapse to skeletal muscle.

(Botulin Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)