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

Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

10.0K
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...
10.0K
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

99.7K
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.
99.7K
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

5.6K
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...
5.6K
Synaptic Signaling01:12

Synaptic Signaling

69.8K
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.
69.8K
Overview of Synapses01:25

Overview of Synapses

10.9K
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...
10.9K
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

9.3K
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...
9.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The utility of a composite endpoint for tracking disease progression in Lewy body dementia.

Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)·2026
Same author

Electrical and chemical synapses share similar organizational principle.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Increased buprenorphine dosing frequency was not associated with increased severity of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.

American journal of obstetrics & gynecology MFM·2026
Same author

Uncovering the electrical synapse proteome in retinal neurons via in vivo proximity labeling.

eLife·2026
Same author

Integrating new habits and practices data and homecare products into the Creme RIFM aggregate exposure model.

Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP·2026
Same author

Global burden of cerebral small vessel disease determined from large MRI studies: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society·2026
Same journal

Population codes for context-dependent decision-making.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
Same journal

Cichlid fish as a model for understanding social dysfunction.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
Same journal

On aims and methods in field neuroethology: Investigating neural mechanisms of behavior in semi-natural and natural contexts.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
Same journal

Neurobiological interfaces connecting environmental change to monarch butterfly migration.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
Same journal

Learning how to experience the world: From circuits to cell types to genes.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
Same journal

Editorial overview for neurobiology of disease 2026.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
13:56

Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises

Published on: January 18, 2011

23.8K

The ever-changing electrical synapse.

John O'Brien1

  • 1The Richard S. Ruiz, M.D. Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 7.024, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|June 24, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Electrical synapses in the central nervous system are highly plastic, with mechanisms altering neuronal communication over milliseconds to days. This dynamic electrical coupling adapts to network demands at multiple levels.

More Related Videos

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

11.1K
Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings
10:24

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Published on: January 10, 2015

16.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
13:56

Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises

Published on: January 18, 2011

23.8K
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

11.1K
Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings
10:24

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

Published on: January 10, 2015

16.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Biology
  • Synaptic Plasticity

Background:

  • Electrical synapses facilitate rapid neuronal communication in the central nervous system.
  • Recent research highlights significant plasticity in electrical synapses, particularly in the retina and inferior olive.
  • Understanding the mechanisms of this plasticity is crucial for comprehending neural network function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diverse mechanisms that regulate electrical coupling plasticity.
  • To categorize these mechanisms based on their time scales of action.
  • To emphasize the dynamic nature of electrical synapses in response to physiological and pathological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on electrical synapse plasticity.
  • Categorization of plasticity mechanisms by time course (milliseconds to days).
  • Analysis of molecular and activity-dependent regulation of electrical coupling.

Main Results:

  • Three classes of mechanisms alter electrical coupling: membrane conductance changes, connexin phosphorylation, and connexin expression levels.
  • Activity-dependent mechanisms operate on millisecond timescales, altering conductance and symmetry.
  • Connexin phosphorylation and expression changes modulate coupling on minute to day timescales, respectively.

Conclusions:

  • Electrical synapses exhibit remarkable plasticity, dynamically adjusting coupling strength and directionality.
  • These plastic changes are mediated by diverse molecular and activity-dependent mechanisms.
  • The adaptability of electrical synapses is essential for network function across various biological contexts.