A hormone response is far-reaching and can affect more than one cell or tissue group and can last minutes to hours, even days. Synaptic transmission is strictly locally acting and is over and done with shortly after it begins (i.e, the neurotransmitters are quickly cleared to prevent ongoing stimulation).
Synaptic transmission is chemical, while nerve impulse or axonal transmission is electrical.
Synaptic transmission, also called neurotransmission, refers to the process wherein neurotransmitters are released by a neuron to activate the receptors of another neuron. Communication between two nerve cells is accomplished by synaptic transmission.
Presynaptic neurons send signals, while postsynaptic neurons receive signals in synaptic transmission. Presynaptic neurons release neurotransmitters that travel across the synapse to bind to receptors on postsynaptic neurons, triggering a response.
Transmission across a chemical synapse always involves a synaptic delay, but with only one synapse (a monosynaptic reflex), the delay between stimulus and response is minimized. In a polysynaptic reflex, the length of delay is proportional to the number of synapses involved.
The six major components of the synapse are the presynaptic terminal, synaptic vesicles, neurotransmitters, synaptic cleft, postsynaptic membrane, and receptor sites. The presynaptic terminal contains synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters that are released into the synaptic cleft when an action potential arrives. The neurotransmitters then bind to receptor sites on the postsynaptic membrane, facilitating communication between neurons. The synaptic cleft is the gap between the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons, where the transmission occurs.
Synaptic gaps are the spaces between neurons.
Synaptic potential refers to the change in electrical potential at a synapse, where neurons communicate. In the context of pain, the transmission of pain signals between neurons involves synaptic potentials. When pain signals are transmitted across synapses, they can result in the perception of pain in the brain.
Synaptic end bulbs, or synaptic terminals, are specialized structures at the ends of axons in neurons. Their primary function is to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, facilitating communication between neurons or between neurons and target cells, such as muscle cells. They contain synaptic vesicles that store these neurotransmitters, and upon receiving an action potential, they undergo exocytosis to release their contents, allowing for signal transmission across synapses. Additionally, synaptic end bulbs play a crucial role in the recycling of neurotransmitters and maintaining synaptic health.
The synapse between pre synaptic and post synaptic neuron. Here the acetylcholine is released. It is destroyed by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase in milliseconds, once the impulse is passed to the post synaptic neuron
The part of the neuron that facilitates synaptic transmission to another neuron is the axon terminal, also known as the synaptic terminal. When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles into the synaptic cleft. These neurotransmitters then bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron's membrane, allowing the signal to be transmitted. This process is essential for communication between neurons in the nervous system.
A synaptic potential is a change in the electrical potential of a neuron in response to the release of neurotransmitters at a synapse. It can be either excitatory, causing depolarization and promoting action potential firing, or inhibitory, causing hyperpolarization and reducing the likelihood of action potential firing. These changes in potential are essential for communication between neurons in the brain.
A synaptic knob is a tiny bulge at the end of a terminal branch of a presynaptic neuron's axon!