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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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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.
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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...

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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy

Published on: January 4, 2010

Microglia shape presynaptic properties at developing glutamatergic synapses.

Bernadette Basilico¹, Francesca Pagani², Alfonso Grimaldi²

¹Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.

|November 13, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Deficient neuron-microglia signaling impairs brain development, leading to abnormal synaptic maturation. This study reveals that impaired fractalkine receptor signaling in microglia causes widespread glutamatergic neurotransmission deficits.

Keywords:

CX3CR1 hippocampus microglia neuron-microglia interaction synaptic development synaptic transmission

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Last Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Presynaptically Silent Synapses Studied with Light Microscopy

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Published on: January 4, 2010

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

Derivation of a Human Brain Organoid with Microglia Development

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Published on: January 17, 2025

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Cellular Signaling

Background:

Neuron-microglia communication is crucial for brain development.
Deficient signaling is linked to abnormal synaptic maturation, but mechanisms are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of impaired neuron-to-microglia signaling on synaptic maturation.
To elucidate the mechanisms by which microglia influence glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Main Methods:

Utilized Cx3cr1 knockout (KO) mice with deficient neuron-microglia signaling.
Performed electrophysiological recordings of CA3-CA1 synapses in hippocampal slices.
Analyzed synaptic properties including release probability, AMPA/NMDA ratio, and silent synapses.

Main Results:

Cx3cr1 KO mice exhibited reduced microglial branching and altered motility.
KO mice displayed widespread deficits in glutamatergic neurotransmission, with immature synaptic properties.
Presynaptic release probability was decreased, evidenced by increased synaptic failures and silent synapses.

Conclusions:

Neuron-microglia interactions via the fractalkine receptor are essential for the functional maturation of excitatory presynaptic function.
Deficient signaling leads to persistent immature synaptic characteristics.
Microglia play a critical role in regulating synaptic development and function.