PSY 2301 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Neuroplasticity, Dendritic Spine, Ventral Tegmental Area
10 Apr 2016
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The synapse is comprised of many individual parts. In the axon terminal, there are microtubules that help transport proteins or neurotransmitters towards the presynaptic membrane. There is a storage granule, which is a membranous compartment that contains synaptic vesicles. The synaptic vesicles carry a quanta of neurotransmitters. These vesicles then fuse to the presynaptic membrane, and through exocytosis, extrude the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft. In the synaptic cleft, the neurotransmitter binds to the transmitter receptors on the postsynaptic membrane. This is typically found on the dendritic spine of the postsynaptic neuron. Identify and describe the stages in transmitter function. Firstly, the neurotransmitter must be synthesized and stored in vesicles. The neurotransmitter is synthesized either in the cell body or the axon terminal. Secondly, the neurotransmitter must be released from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron. To do so, calcium channels will open at a certain voltage on the axon terminal.
