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Related Concept Videos

Neurons as Communicators of the Brain01:22

Neurons as Communicators of the Brain

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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.
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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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The Synapse02:47

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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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Synaptic Signaling01:09

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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.
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Synaptic Signaling01:12

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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.
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A Computer-assisted Multi-electrode Patch-clamp System
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Communicating by touch--neurons are not alone.

Thomas B Kornberg1, Sougata Roy1

  • 1Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.

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|February 25, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neurons and other cells use direct contact for long-distance signaling. This review explores contact-mediated communication, challenging the idea that indirect signaling is the only method for non-neuronal cells.

Keywords:
cytonememorphogenneuronsynapse

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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental biology

Background:

  • Long-distance cell-cell communication is crucial for multicellular organisms.
  • Neurons utilize direct synaptic contact for signaling.
  • Non-neuronal cells were thought to signal exclusively indirectly via extracellular fluid.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review contact-mediated signaling in neurons.
  • To discuss the shared mechanism of contact-mediated signaling in non-neuronal cells.
  • To highlight emerging evidence for direct cell-cell communication in non-neuronal contexts.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on cell-cell communication.
  • Analysis of evidence for contact-mediated signaling in Drosophila.
  • Comparative discussion of neuronal and non-neuronal signaling mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Neurons employ direct contact (synapses) for long-distance signaling.
  • Recent findings indicate non-neuronal cells also use direct contact for signaling.
  • This contact-mediated signaling occurs even over long cellular distances.

Conclusions:

  • Contact-mediated signaling is not exclusive to neurons.
  • Non-neuronal cells share this mechanism for long-distance communication.
  • This expands our understanding of intercellular communication in development and function.