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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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Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)01:32

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

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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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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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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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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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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
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Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

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Removing 4E-BP Enables Synapses to Refine without Postsynaptic Activity.

Yumaine Chong1, Natasha Saviuk1, Brigitte Pie1

  • 1Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada.

Cell Reports
|April 5, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synaptic refinement during development typically requires activity. However, enhanced cap-dependent translation in knockout mice allowed synaptic organization even without postsynaptic activity, revealing a novel mechanism.

Keywords:
cap-dependent translationnicotinic receptorssilent synapsessympathetic neuronssynaptic activitysynaptic refinement

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Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number
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Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number
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Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Synaptic re-organization is crucial for nervous system development, involving dendrite extension and synapse refinement.
  • While synaptic activity is known to drive these processes, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
  • Cap-dependent translation is implicated in synaptic growth and plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of cap-dependent translation in synaptic reorganization in the absence of postsynaptic activity.
  • To explore the mechanisms of developmental synaptic refinement in α3 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)-knockout mice.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized α3 nAChR-knockout mice to study synaptic development.
  • Examined the impact of genetically removing 4E-binding protein (4E-BP), a translation suppressor, on synaptic refinement.
  • Assessed dendrite growth and synapse targeting on postsynaptic neurons.

Main Results:

  • Electrophysiologically silent synapses in α3 nAChR-knockout mice failed to refine.
  • Dendrite growth and synapse targeting were impaired in these knockout mice.
  • Genetic removal of 4E-BP in α3 nAChR-knockout mice largely restored synaptic refinement, dendrite growth, and synapse targeting.

Conclusions:

  • Synaptic connections can undergo re-organization and refinement during postnatal development independently of postsynaptic activity.
  • Enhanced 4E-BP-regulated cap-dependent translation can facilitate synaptic refinement even in the absence of electrical activity.
  • This finding highlights a novel pathway for regulating synaptic development and plasticity.