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Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

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...

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Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Microtransplantation of Synaptic Membranes to Reactivate Human Synaptic Receptors for Functional Studies

Microtransplantation of Synaptic Membranes to Reactivate Human Synaptic Receptors for Functional Studies

Published on: July 20, 2022

Methods for the study of synaptic receptor functional properties.

Enrica Maria Petrini¹, Andrea Barberis

¹Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|July 16, 2014

Summary

Understanding postsynaptic receptor gating is crucial for synaptic transmission. New optical techniques reveal non-equilibrium dynamics, enabling precise control over neuronal activity.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Biophysics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Synaptic currents result from neurotransmitter release, diffusion, and receptor activation.
Postsynaptic receptor gating properties significantly influence synaptic current amplitude and duration.
Current understanding of receptor properties relies on steady-state analysis, not physiological non-equilibrium conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To review methods for studying receptor gating during synaptic transmission.
To explore novel optical and optogenetic techniques for postsynaptic control.
To highlight the importance of non-equilibrium dynamics in synaptic receptor function.

Main Methods:

Review of diverse experimental approaches for studying receptor gating kinetics.
Discussion of optical and optogenetic tools for manipulating postsynaptic activity.
Emphasis on photonics for light-controlled neuronal activity at the single-receptor level.

Main Results:

Non-equilibrium conditions reveal previously uncharacterized features of synaptic receptor gating.
Optical and optogenetic techniques allow for precise temporal control of synaptic activity.
Advances in photonics enable single-receptor level manipulation of neuronal function.

Conclusions:

Studying synaptic receptor gating under non-equilibrium conditions is essential for understanding synaptic transmission.
Novel optical techniques offer powerful tools for investigating and controlling synaptic function.
Future research can leverage these methods to elucidate complex neuronal circuit dynamics.