Mesh term Synapses
Browse to parent terms:Intercellular Junctions
Nervous System
Description
Specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell. At classical synapses, a neuron's presynaptic terminal releases a chemical transmitter stored in synaptic vesicles which diffuses across a narrow synaptic cleft and activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of the target cell. The target may be a dendrite, cell body, or axon of another neuron, or a specialized region of a muscle or secretory cell. Neurons may also communicate via direct electrical coupling with ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Several other non-synaptic chemical or electric signal transmitting processes occur via extracellular mediated interactions.Browse to child terms:
Electrical Synapses
Neuroeffector Junction
Presynaptic Terminals
Synaptic Membranes
Synaptic Vesicles
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