"Synapses are essential to the transmission of nervous impulses from one neuron to another."
The junction between two neurons or between a neuron and a muscle or gland. Neurotransmitters are released at synapses to transmit the signal from one neuron to the next.
Neurotransmitters: The chemicals that transmit signals across the synapse.
Presynaptic and Postsynaptic Neurons: The two neurons connected by a synapse.
Receptors: The proteins located on the postsynaptic membrane that bind to neurotransmitters.
Ion Channels: Membrane proteins that permit the flow of ions into and out of the cell.
Action Potentials: Electrical signals that travel along the axon.
Axon Termination: The point at which the axon ends and the synapse begins.
Neuromodulators: Chemicals that modify the function of neurotransmitters.
Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses: The two types of synapses that either increase or decrease the probability of action potential firing.
Plasticity: The ability of synapses to change their strength over time.
Long-Term Potentiation and Depression: The mechanisms of synaptic plasticity that underlie learning and memory.
Neural Circuits: The interconnected networks of neurons that work together to perform a specific function.
Synaptic Integration: The process by which multiple synaptic inputs are integrated to determine whether a neuron will fire an action potential.
Neurotransmitter Transporters: Proteins that remove neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft once they have been released.
Neurotransmitter Synthesis: The process by which neurotransmitters are produced within the neuron.
Synaptic Vesicles: Intracellular structures that store neurotransmitters before their release into the synaptic cleft.
Axodendritic: A synapse between an axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron.
Axosomatic: A synapse between an axon terminal and the soma (cell body) of a neuron.
Axoaxonic: A synapse between an axon terminal and another axon terminal.
Dendrodendritic: A synapse between two dendrites.
Gap Junction: A type of electrical synapse where the cytoplasm of two neurons are directly connected via a protein channel.
Electrical: A type of synapse where ions directly flow from one neuron to another through a gap junction.
Chemical: A type of synapse where neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron.
Excitatory: A synapse that leads to the depolarization of the postsynaptic neuron and an increased likelihood of firing an action potential.
Inhibitory: A synapse that leads to hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic neuron and a decreased likelihood of firing an action potential.
Adrenergic: A synapse that uses neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine.
Cholinergic: A synapse that uses neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine.
GABAergic: A synapse that uses the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Glycinergic: A synapse that uses the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine.
Glutamatergic: A synapse that uses the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.
Serotonergic: A synapse that uses the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Dopaminergic: A synapse that uses the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Histaminergic: A synapse that uses the neurotransmitter histamine.
Nitrergic: A synapse that uses nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter.
Endocannabinoid: A synapse that uses endocannabinoids as retrograde neurotransmitters.
"At a synapse, the plasma membrane of the signal-passing neuron comes into close apposition with the membrane of the target cell."
"Neurons are specialized to pass signals to individual target cells, and synapses are the means by which they do so."
"In many synapses, the presynaptic part is located on an axon..."
"...and the postsynaptic part is located on a dendrite or soma."
"Astrocytes also exchange information with the synaptic neurons, responding to synaptic activity and, in turn, regulating neurotransmission."
"Synapses (at least chemical synapses) are stabilized in position by synaptic adhesion molecules (SAMs) projecting from both the pre- and post-synaptic neuron and sticking together where they overlap."
"Both the presynaptic and postsynaptic sites contain extensive arrays of molecular machinery that link the two membranes together and carry out the signaling process."
"SAMs may also assist in the generation and functioning of synapses."
"Synapses are essential to the transmission of nervous impulses from one neuron to another."
"The presynaptic neuron comes into close apposition with the membrane of the postsynaptic cell."
"Astrocytes...regulating neurotransmission."
"At a synapse, the plasma membrane of the signal-passing neuron comes into close apposition with the membrane of the target cell."
"Synaptic adhesion molecules (SAMs) projecting from both the pre- and post-synaptic neuron and sticking together where they overlap."
"Synapses are essential to the transmission of nervous impulses from one neuron to another."
"At a synapse, the plasma membrane of the signal-passing neuron comes into close apposition with the membrane of the target cell."
"Astrocytes also exchange information with the synaptic neurons, responding to synaptic activity and, in turn, regulating neurotransmission."
"Both the presynaptic and postsynaptic sites contain extensive arrays of molecular machinery..."
"Neurons are specialized to pass signals to individual target cells..."
"...molecular machinery that link the two membranes together and carry out the signaling process."