BIOM 3200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Skeletal Muscle, Second Messenger System, Signal Transduction
10 Dec 2017
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Synapses are the junctions between nerve cells and other cells. In the cns, the second target cell is usually a neuron. In the pns, the target cell may be either another neuron or an effector cell like a muscle fiber or a gland. Even though the physiology of neuron-neuron synapses and neuron-muscle synapses is similar, neuron-muscle synapses are usually called neuromuscular junctions. Most synapses use chemical transmission: this involves the release of chemical substances (neurotransmitters) from the presynaptic axon terminal, which causes changes in the membrane potential of the post-synaptic cell. In smooth and cardiac muscle, between some neurons of the brain, and between glial cells. Stimulation causes phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of connexin proteins to open/close the channels. Involve the release of a chemical called a neurotransmitter from the axon"s terminal boutons. Presynaptic and postsynaptic cells are held close together by cell adhesion molecules (cams)
