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Related Concept Videos

Neurons as Communicators of the Brain01:22

Neurons as Communicators of the Brain

Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, function as the primary transmitters of information throughout the body. Their ability to communicate through electrical and chemical signals is vital for every bodily function, from regulating the heartbeat to processing complex thoughts. Each neuron has three main components: the cell body (soma), dendrites, and an axon, each specialized to facilitate swift and efficient neural communication.
Cell Body
The cell body, also known...
Translation01:31

Translation

Lesson: Translation
Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of Life
Translation01:31

Translation

Lesson: Translation
Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of Life
Classification of Neurotransmitters01:30

Classification of Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters play a crucial role in the communication between neurons in the autonomic nervous system. Neurons in the autonomic nervous system can be cholinergic or adrenergic depending on the neurotransmitters synthesized. Cholinergic neurons use acetylcholine as their primary neurotransmitter. This includes all the preganglionic fibers of the sympathetic and pre- and postganglionic fibers of the parasympathetic nervous systems. In addition, neurons of the somatic nervous system also use...
Neurotransmitters01:30

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters play a crucial role in the communication between neurons in the autonomic nervous system. Neurons in the autonomic nervous system can be cholinergic or adrenergic depending on the neurotransmitters synthesized. Cholinergic neurons use acetylcholine as their primary neurotransmitter. This includes all the preganglionic fibers of the sympathetic and pre- and postganglionic fibers of the parasympathetic nervous systems. In addition, neurons of the somatic nervous system also use...
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters01:29

Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters

When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of specific...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

In vivo Interrogation of Central Nervous System Translatome by Polyribosome Fractionation
09:13

In vivo Interrogation of Central Nervous System Translatome by Polyribosome Fractionation

Published on: April 30, 2014

The autistic neuron: troubled translation?

Raymond J Kelleher1, Mark F Bear

  • 1Center for Human Genetic Research, Harvard-Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Program in Neuroscience and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. kelleher@helix.mgh.harvard.edu

Cell
|November 6, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Autism, a complex genetic disorder, may stem from issues in synaptic protein synthesis. This pathway could explain autistic traits like cognitive changes and savant abilities.

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Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

In vivo Interrogation of Central Nervous System Translatome by Polyribosome Fractionation
09:13

In vivo Interrogation of Central Nervous System Translatome by Polyribosome Fractionation

Published on: April 30, 2014

Isolation and Quantification of Axonal mRNAs Using Porous Membrane Inserts and RTddPCR
07:06

Isolation and Quantification of Axonal mRNAs Using Porous Membrane Inserts and RTddPCR

Published on: February 6, 2026

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism
08:44

Dynamic Clamp Methods to Investigate Impaired Neuronal Excitability Associated with Autism

Published on: October 17, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a significant genetic component.
  • Single-gene disorders are increasingly recognized for their role in understanding autism pathogenesis.
  • Emerging evidence links molecular defects in autism to disruptions in synaptic function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose aberrant synaptic protein synthesis as a potential molecular pathway contributing to autism.
  • To explore the connection between synaptic protein synthesis defects and autistic phenotypes.
  • To investigate how these molecular alterations may lead to cognitive impairment and savant abilities in autism.

Main Methods:

  • This study is primarily theoretical, synthesizing existing evidence.
  • It reviews current research on genetic factors in autism.
  • It analyzes molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic function and protein synthesis.

Main Results:

  • Single-gene defects provide valuable models for studying autism's underlying mechanisms.
  • Molecular defects affecting synaptic protein synthesis are implicated in autism.
  • Aberrant synaptic protein synthesis is proposed as a unifying pathway for autistic phenotypes.

Conclusions:

  • Defects in synaptic protein synthesis represent a plausible mechanism contributing to autism.
  • This pathway may underlie diverse autistic phenotypes, including cognitive and social differences.
  • Further research into synaptic protein synthesis in autism is warranted.