Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Synapse

The Synapse

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.

Molecular Shape and Polarity

Molecular Shape and Polarity

Dipole Moment of a Molecule

Electrical Synapses

Electrical Synapses

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...

Chemical Synapses

Chemical Synapses

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...

Chemical Synapses

Chemical Synapses

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...

VSEPR Theory and the Basic Shapes

VSEPR Theory and the Basic Shapes

Overview of VSEPR Theory

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Aberrant tau accumulation caused by MAPT mutations induces early pathological changes in axonal transport that are rescued by p38α inhibition.

Nature neuroscience·2026

Same author

Neuronal activity drives PCDH9 cleavage and nuclear translocation to coordinate structural and functional remodeling.

Frontiers in cellular neuroscience·2026

Same author

Social isolation: an integrated molecular web that disrupts cellular homeostasis.

Frontiers in neuroscience·2025

Same author

Effects of a Four-Strain Probiotic on Gut Microbiota, Inflammation, and Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2025

Same author

Chemosensor receptors are lipid-detecting regulators of macrophage function in cancer.

Nature immunology·2025

Same author

Distribution of pamiparib, a novel inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP), in tumor tissue analyzed by multimodal imaging.

Journal of pharmaceutical analysis·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

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

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

Published on: November 16, 2010

Tetraspanins shape the synapse.

Luca Murru¹, Edoardo Moretto¹, Giuseppe Martano¹

¹CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Via L. Vanvitelli, 32-20129 Milano, Italy.

Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences

|April 10, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Tetraspanins, crucial scaffold proteins, significantly influence central nervous system functions. This review details their role in synapse formation and function by modulating synaptic proteins.

Keywords:

Synapse Tetraspanin Trafficking

More Related Videos

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Published on: December 26, 2019

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function

Published on: August 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2026

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

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

Published on: November 16, 2010

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Imaging the Human Immunological Synapse

Published on: December 26, 2019

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function

Published on: August 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Molecular Biology
Cell Biology

Background:

Tetraspanins are a conserved protein family in mammals with diverse biological roles.
They function as scaffold proteins, interacting with various cellular components.
Their involvement extends to immune responses and cancer regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and highlight the literature on tetraspanins' role in the central nervous system.
To elucidate the mechanisms by which tetraspanins modulate synaptic proteins.
To emphasize their impact on synapse formation, function, and plasticity.

Main Methods:

Literature review and analysis of existing research on tetraspanins.
Examination of studies investigating tetraspanin interactions with synaptic proteins.
Synthesis of findings on tetraspanin-mediated regulation of neural synapses.

Main Results:

Tetraspanins directly and indirectly modulate key synaptic proteins.
Evidence suggests tetraspanins are integral to synapse formation and development.
Their scaffolding function is critical for synaptic plasticity and function.

Conclusions:

Tetraspanins play a significant role in the molecular architecture and function of synapses.
Understanding tetraspanin involvement offers insights into neurological disorders.
Further research into tetraspanin-synaptic protein interactions is warranted.