dendritisk

Dendritisk is an adjective used to describe something that relates to dendrites or has a dendrite-like, branched form. The word derives from Greek dendron, meaning “tree,” and is used across scientific disciplines to denote tree‑like branching patterns.

In neuroscience, something dendritisk refers to structures associated with neuronal dendrites—the branched extensions that receive synaptic inputs and transmit signals toward the cell body. Dendritic trees vary in size and complexity and influence how neurons integrate inputs. Dendritic spines, small protrusions on dendrites, host many excitatory synapses and are dynamic during development, learning, and disease. Abnormal dendritic morphology can be linked to various neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions.

In immunology, dendritisk describes dendritic cells, which are professional antigen-presenting cells. Dendritic cells process antigens, migrate to lymphoid tissues, and activate T cells, thereby linking innate and adaptive immunity. They include several subsets, such as myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, with distinct roles in immune responses.

Beyond neuroscience and immunology, the term also appears in botany and geology to describe branching patterns that resemble tree-like structures. In botany, dendritic venation refers to leaves with a branched network of veins; in mineralogy, dendritic crystal growth describes branching crystal forms.