What are the branchlike extensions of a neuron that receive messages called?

The branchlike extensions of a neuron that receive messages are called dendrites. These structures play a critical role in neural communication; they are specialized to receive signals from other neurons and communicate that information to the cell body of the neuron. Dendrites increase the surface area available for connections with other neurons, enabling more complex signaling and processing of information within the nervous system.

Dendrites have numerous receptor sites that bind neurotransmitters released from other neurons, allowing the neuron to integrate signals from multiple sources. This integration is crucial for determining whether the neuron will fire an action potential and transmit information onwards.

In contrast, axons are the long, slender projections that carry electrical impulses away from the cell body to other neurons or muscles. The soma refers to the cell body of the neuron, where the nucleus is located and metabolic processes occur. Neurons themselves are the fundamental units of the nervous system, but the question specifically asks about the extensions that receive messages, which clearly points to dendrites.