PSYC 2410 Chapter Notes -Axon Terminal, Gap Junction, Neuroglia
1 Aug 2013
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Document Summary
Transmission of signal from one neuron to another. Axodendritic synapses: axon dendrites: one way, very common. Axosomatic synapses: axon cell body (soma: one way. Dendrodendritic synapses: dendrite dendrite: two way, often electrical as opposed to chemical. Axoaxonal synapses: axon axon: presynaptic signal modification. Can selectively influence one particular synapse rather than the entire neuron like epsps or ipsps: rare. Chemical synapses: 5 miliseconds (because diffusion takes place and chemicals have to bind to receptors: glial cells. Astrocytes have been shown to release chemical transmitters to contain receptors for neurotransmitters to conduct signals and to participate in neurotransmitter reuptake. Why don"t we just have electrical synapses: limited, only excitatory and only 1 electrical signal, membrane coupling, direct transmission. Vs. indirect transmission in which neurotransmitter is released from series of varicosities along axon (aka string of beads) Properties: gap junctions (allows membrane coupling)
