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A synapse is a junction where one neuron passes a signal to another neuron or to an effector cell
Definition
Synapse
A chemical synapse is the point where two neurons meet or where a neuron meets an effector cell.
- A synapse is a junction where a neuron connects with another neuron or with an effector cell such as a muscle fibre or gland cell.
- The neuron before the junction is the presynaptic neuron, and the cell after it carries the postsynaptic membrane.
- A narrow gap called the synaptic cleft separates the two cells, so the electrical signal cannot cross directly.
The presynaptic neuron releases a chemical neurotransmitter that diffuses across the cleft, a process covered in detail in C2.2.6.
