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Related Concept Videos

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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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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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.
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...
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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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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.
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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Electrical Synapses: New Rules for Assembling an Old Structure Asymmetrically.

James I Nagy1, John E Rash2

  • 1Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada.

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|November 22, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Electrical synapses, once thought symmetrical, are now revealed to be complex and asymmetrical structures. These findings highlight the intricate organization of gap junction proteins and associated regulatory components in synaptic function.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Electrical synapses facilitate direct cell-to-cell communication via gap junctions.
  • These synapses comprise connexin proteins and various scaffolding/regulatory components.
  • Previous assumptions favored a symmetrical organization of these synaptic elements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural organization of electrical synapses.
  • To determine if electrical synapses exhibit symmetry or asymmetry.
  • To characterize the protein components involved in electrical synapse structure.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized advanced imaging techniques to visualize synaptic structures.
  • Employed proteomic analysis to identify synaptic protein composition.
  • Performed biochemical assays to assess protein interactions and localization.

Main Results:

  • Electrical synapses demonstrate a clear asymmetry in protein distribution.
  • Connexin proteins and associated scaffolding/regulatory factors are unevenly distributed.
  • This asymmetry is a fundamental characteristic of electrical synapse architecture.

Conclusions:

  • Electrical synapses are not symmetrically organized as previously believed.
  • Synaptic asymmetry is a key feature influencing electrical synapse function.
  • Further research is needed to understand the functional implications of this asymmetry.