Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...
Overview of Synapses01:25

Overview of Synapses

A synapse is a specialized structure where two neurons connect, allowing them to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron. It is the point of communication between neurons. The term "synapse" is derived from the Greek word "synapsis," which means "conjunction." The entire process of neural communication revolves around the synapse. When activated, a neuron releases chemicals known as neurotransmitters into the synapse. These neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind to...
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

MicroRNA-218 instructs proper assembly of hippocampal networks.

eLife·2023
Same author

Neonatal Nicotine Exposure Primes Midbrain Neurons to a Dopaminergic Phenotype and Increases Adult Drug Consumption.

Biological psychiatry·2019
Same author

Neurotransmitter Switching Regulated by miRNAs Controls Changes in Social Preference.

Neuron·2017
Same author

Evidence for opposing roles of Celsr3 and Vangl2 in glutamatergic synapse formation.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2017
Same author

MicroRNA-101 Regulates Multiple Developmental Programs to Constrain Excitation in Adult Neural Networks.

Neuron·2016
Same author

Loss of MeCP2 in cholinergic neurons causes part of RTT-like phenotypes via α7 receptor in hippocampus.

Cell research·2016

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy
11:02

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy

Published on: January 4, 2010

Silent synapses sit and wait for a better day.

Darwin K Berg1

  • 1Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0357, USA. dberg@ucsd.edu

Neuron
|February 3, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synaptic activity is not essential for maintaining nicotinic synapses on autonomic neurons. However, postsynaptic responses are crucial for presynaptic terminals to develop high-affinity choline transporters for high-frequency transmission.

More Related Videos

Transmission Electron Microscopy as the Visualization Technique for Analysis of Circadian Synaptic Plasticity in the Mouse Barrel Cortex
12:06

Transmission Electron Microscopy as the Visualization Technique for Analysis of Circadian Synaptic Plasticity in the Mouse Barrel Cortex

Published on: August 19, 2025

DetectSyn: A Rapid, Unbiased Fluorescent Method to Detect Changes in Synapse Density
09:10

DetectSyn: A Rapid, Unbiased Fluorescent Method to Detect Changes in Synapse Density

Published on: July 22, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy
11:02

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy

Published on: January 4, 2010

Transmission Electron Microscopy as the Visualization Technique for Analysis of Circadian Synaptic Plasticity in the Mouse Barrel Cortex
12:06

Transmission Electron Microscopy as the Visualization Technique for Analysis of Circadian Synaptic Plasticity in the Mouse Barrel Cortex

Published on: August 19, 2025

DetectSyn: A Rapid, Unbiased Fluorescent Method to Detect Changes in Synapse Density
09:10

DetectSyn: A Rapid, Unbiased Fluorescent Method to Detect Changes in Synapse Density

Published on: July 22, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Synaptic plasticity
  • Autonomic nervous system

Background:

  • Synaptic stabilization is traditionally linked to synaptic activity.
  • The role of activity in maintaining neuronal connections, particularly in the autonomic nervous system, remains an area of investigation.

Discussion:

  • Krishnaswamy and Cooper demonstrate that nicotinic synapses on autonomic neurons can persist without continuous synaptic activity.
  • This challenges the long-held assumption that constant activity is a prerequisite for synaptic integrity.

Key Insights:

  • Presynaptic terminals require postsynaptic responses to acquire high-affinity choline transporters.
  • This acquisition is essential for enabling high-frequency synaptic transmission.
  • The study highlights a specific mechanism for functional adaptation in autonomic synapses.

Outlook:

  • Further research could explore the molecular players involved in postsynaptic response-mediated transporter acquisition.
  • Understanding these mechanisms may offer new therapeutic targets for autonomic dysfunction.
  • Investigating activity-independent stabilization versus activity-dependent functional potentiation in other neuronal systems is warranted.