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Related Concept Videos

The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

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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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Chemical Synapses01:26

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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.
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Chemical Synapses01:26

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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.
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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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Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

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Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
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Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

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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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Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse
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Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

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What counts in the immunological synapse?

Michael L Dustin1

  • 1Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, The University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington OX3 7FY, UK; Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.

Molecular Cell
|April 29, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Helper T cells and B cells coordinate antibody production by counting captured antigens. This ensures that B cells with the best receptors are selected to generate protective immunity against infections and vaccines.

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Molecular Interactions

Background:

  • Antibody production is crucial for protective immunity, relying on molecular interactions between helper T cells and antigen-presenting B cells.
  • Effective T cell help guides B cell affinity maturation, which is proportional to the antigen captured by the B cell's surface antibody.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review mechanisms by which T and B cells quantify antigen capture.
  • To explore how antigen count influences T cell feedback and B cell selection for antibody production.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of molecular interactions in T cell-B cell collaboration.
  • Analysis of feedback mechanisms in adaptive immunity.
  • Discussion of B cell antigen sampling and T cell signaling pathways.

Main Results:

  • T cell help must be proportional to the antigen load collected by B cells.
  • B cells may employ mechanisms to "count" antigen capture events.
  • This counting process is essential for selecting high-affinity B cells to become antibody-producing plasma cells.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding T and B cell antigen counting is key to optimizing vaccine efficacy and immune responses.
  • Mechanisms for proportional feedback between T and B cells are central to adaptive immunity.
  • Further research into these molecular counting systems can inform immunotherapies.