Features of the synapse

Synapses permit the transmission of a nerve impulse from one neurone to another. In doing so, they act as junctions for the nervous system. They can allow...

• a single impulse to stimulate many other neurones into action, allowing one stimulus to create a number of different responses
• multiple impulses from different neurones to combine, forming a single impulse.

I need to appreciate that...

• Neurotransmitter is only produced in the pre synaptic neurone, not the post synaptic neurone
• Neurotransmitter is stored in synaptic vesicles and is released into the synaptic cleft when an action potential travels down the pre synaptic neurone
• Neurotransmitter will diffuse across the synaptic cleft once released by the vesicles
• The neurotransmitter binds with the appropriate receptor molecule on the post synaptic neurone, creating a new action down the axon

Characteristics of the synapse

The basic structure of the synapse leads to some…