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Related Concept Videos

Graded Potential01:19

Graded Potential

Graded potentials are localized fluctuations in the cell membrane's electrical charge, commonly found in the dendrites of neurons. The magnitude of these potential changes depends on the strength of the initiating stimulus. In a membrane at its resting potential, a graded potential signifies a voltage shift either above -70 mV or below -70 mV.
Graded potentials fall into two categories: depolarizing and hyperpolarizing. Depolarizing graded potentials typically occur when sodium (Na+) or calcium...
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.
Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...
Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)01:32

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

Postsynaptic potential (PSP) refers to a change in the electrical potential of a neuron when neurotransmitters released by presynaptic neurons bind to postsynaptic receptors. This potential can either be excitatory, leading to depolarization and ultimately action potential generation, or inhibitory, leading to hyperpolarization and suppression of the postsynaptic neuron.
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
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: May 11, 2026

Contribution of the Na+/K+ Pump to Rhythmic Bursting, Explored with Modeling and Dynamic Clamp Analyses
08:34

Contribution of the Na+/K+ Pump to Rhythmic Bursting, Explored with Modeling and Dynamic Clamp Analyses

Published on: May 9, 2021

Postsynaptic current bursts instruct action potential firing at a graded synapse.

Ping Liu1, Bojun Chen, Zhao-Wen Wang

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3401, USA.

Nature Communications
|May 30, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nematode neurons use graded potentials to control muscles via postsynaptic current bursts. These bursts, distinct from action potentials, regulate muscle contraction and firing patterns in Caenorhabditis elegans.

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Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond
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Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology
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Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: April 23, 2019

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Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Contribution of the Na+/K+ Pump to Rhythmic Bursting, Explored with Modeling and Dynamic Clamp Analyses
08:34

Contribution of the Na+/K+ Pump to Rhythmic Bursting, Explored with Modeling and Dynamic Clamp Analyses

Published on: May 9, 2021

Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond
08:08

Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond

Published on: June 24, 2015

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology
10:52

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: April 23, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Biology
  • Animal Physiology

Background:

  • Nematode neurons typically generate graded potentials, not action potentials.
  • The physiological control mechanisms of postsynaptic cells by graded potentials remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how graded potentials control postsynaptic cells in Caenorhabditis elegans.
  • To characterize the nature and function of postsynaptic currents at the neuromuscular junction.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings at the neuromuscular junction of Caenorhabditis elegans.
  • Analysis of postsynaptic current bursts, including persistent currents and event frequency/amplitude.
  • Genetic manipulation of command interneurons and SLO-1 K(+) channels.

Main Results:

  • Postsynaptic currents occur in bursts at the neuromuscular junction, distinct from artificial responses.
  • Cholinergic bursts correlate with muscle contraction and action potential firing, while GABAergic bursts suppress firing.
  • Persistent currents, mediated by levamisole-sensitive acetylcholine receptors, are key components of these bursts.

Conclusions:

  • Motoneurons in Caenorhabditis elegans utilize postsynaptic current bursts to control muscle activity.
  • The findings provide insight into the functional significance of graded potentials in neuronal signaling.
  • Genetic mutations affecting presynaptic inhibition and receptor function impact burst characteristics.