BIOL 1107 Chapter 43.3-43.4: Bio 1107 Ch 43.3-43.4
Document Summary
Most neurons are separated from one another at their junctions by tiny spaces called synapses. The indirect mechanism that allows for neurons to communicate with one another involves neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit information from one neuron to another neuron or from a neuron to a target cell in a muscle or gland. The membranes of a neuron and the cell"s they communicate with are separated by a tiny space called a synaptic cleft. The ends of neurons contain numerous saclike structures called synaptic vesicles. At the synapse, the neuron that contains the synaptic vesicles is called the presynaptic neuron. The cell on the other side of the synaptic cleft is called the postsynaptic cell. The neurotransmitter functions as a ligand, which is a molecule that binds to a specific site on a receptor molecule. This leads to a change in the membrane potential of the postsynaptic cell.
