张香桐是树突生理功能研究的先驱者之一。20世纪50年代初他对树突功能的研究在国际学术界产生广泛影响。他提出存在“胞体上的”和“树突上的”两种不同的突触兴奋的概念,认为在树突上的突触可能对神经元兴奋性的精细调节起重要作用。他提出的树突有电兴奋性和能传导冲动的重要论断,虽当时未被多数人接受,近来已得到充分证 Zhang Xiangtong is one of the pioneers of dendritic physiological function research. In the early 1950s, his research on dendritic function had a wide range of influence in international academia. He proposed the concept of two different synaptic stimuli, “on the cytoplasm” and “on the dendrites,” suggesting that synapses on the dendrites may play an important role in the fine regulation of neuronal excitability. He proposed an important argument that the dendrites have electrical excitability and can transmit impulses. Although not accepted by the majority at the time, he has recently obtained sufficient evidence