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Related Concept Videos

The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

100.0K
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.
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Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

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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...
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Overview of Synapses01:25

Overview of Synapses

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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...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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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...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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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...
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Neuronal Communication01:28

Neuronal Communication

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Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

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

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The dynamic synapse.

Daniel Choquet1, Antoine Triller

  • 1Interdisciplinary Institute for Neurosciences, CNRS, UMR 5297, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33077 Bordeaux, France; IINS, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.

Neuron
|November 5, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synapses are dynamic organelles. Their function relies on the constant movement of components like proteins and receptors, organized into nanoscale domains.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Synaptic transmission and plasticity depend on dynamic molecular movements.
  • Protein conformational changes and cytoskeletal rearrangements are crucial for synaptic function.
  • Vesicular trafficking and receptor dynamics are key to synaptic organization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review conceptual and methodological advances in understanding synapse dynamics.
  • To highlight the synapse as a dynamic organelle.
  • To emphasize the link between dynamic organization and synaptic function.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on synaptic dynamics.
  • Discussion of conceptual frameworks for understanding molecular movement.
  • Analysis of methodological approaches to study synaptic components.

Main Results:

  • Synaptic components, including proteins and receptors, are in constant motion.
  • Brownian diffusion and reversible trapping organize synaptic membrane domains.
  • Cytoskeletal dynamics and vesicular trafficking are essential for synaptic structure and function.

Conclusions:

  • The synapse functions as a dynamic organelle.
  • Synaptic function is intrinsically linked to the dynamic organization of its components.
  • Rethinking the synapse emphasizes its dynamic nature.