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Related Concept Videos

The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

132.8K
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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Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

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Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
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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...
4.9K
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters01:29

Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters

12.7K
When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of...
12.7K
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

11.3K
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

4.4K
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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices
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Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices

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Visualizing Postsynaptic Density in Excitatory Synapses with Electron Tomography.

Rong Sun1,2,3,4, Qiangjun Zhou5,6,7,8

  • 1Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.

Advances in Neurobiology
|January 22, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Electron tomography (ET) provides nanometer-resolution 3D views of synaptic ultrastructure. This method, especially cryogenic ET, reveals the nanoscale organization of postsynaptic densities, advancing neuroscience.

Keywords:
Electron tomographyNanoscale organizationPostsynaptic densitySynapseTrans-synaptic alignmentTransmission electron microscopy

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Visualization of ATP Synthase Dimers in Mitochondria by Electron Cryo-tomography

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Micropatterning Transmission Electron Microscopy Grids to Direct Cell Positioning within Whole-Cell Cryo-Electron Tomography Workflows
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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices
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Visualization of ATP Synthase Dimers in Mitochondria by Electron Cryo-tomography
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Micropatterning Transmission Electron Microscopy Grids to Direct Cell Positioning within Whole-Cell Cryo-Electron Tomography Workflows
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Micropatterning Transmission Electron Microscopy Grids to Direct Cell Positioning within Whole-Cell Cryo-Electron Tomography Workflows

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Conventional electron microscopy provided limited insights into synaptic ultrastructure.
  • Understanding the nanoscale organization of synapses is crucial for neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a detailed overview of electron tomography (ET) techniques for studying synaptic ultrastructure.
  • To highlight the application of cryogenic ET for near-native visualization of synapses.
  • To explore insights into postsynaptic density organization and excitatory synapse complexity.

Main Methods:

  • Introduction to the principles of electron tomography.
  • Detailed explanation of sample preparation, data collection, and image processing for ET.
  • Emphasis on cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET) for biological samples.

Main Results:

  • ET enables high-resolution 3D reconstruction of synaptic ultrastructure.
  • Cryo-ET allows visualization of biological samples in a near-native state.
  • Significant insights into the nanoscale organization of excitatory synapses have been gained.

Conclusions:

  • Electron tomography is a critical tool for advancing synaptic biology research.
  • Future potential of ET in neuroscience is substantial.
  • ET significantly enhances understanding of synaptic structure and function.