Lecture 2
Lecture 2
Depending on the method of the signal transmission, synapses are divided into:
1. Electrical synapses.
2. Chemical synapses.
Electrical synapse is a synapse, in which two neurons contact through the gap
junction. Gap junction provides a direct exchange of ions between two neurons.
As a result, an action potential reaching the terminal portion of a presynaptic
neuron directly enters the postsynaptic neuron. An important feature of electrical
synapse is a little synaptic delay because of the direct flow of current. Moreover,
the impulse is transmitted in either direction through the electrical synapse. This
type of impulse transmission occurs in some tissues like the cardiac muscle fibers,
smooth muscle fibers of intestine and the epithelial cells of lens in the eye.
But the vast majority of the synapses in the human body are chemical synapses.
In this type of synapses the signals are transmitted by the release of a chemical
transmitter. This chemical transmitter is called the mediator.
2. Anatomy of the chemical synapse and the mechanism of the synaptic
transmission.
Let’s consider the anatomy of a typical chemical synapse in detail.
A neuron, from which the axon arises is called a presynaptic neuron and a neuron,
on which the axon ends is called a postsynaptic neuron. An axon of the
presynaptic neuron divides into many small branches before forming the synapse.
These branches are known as presynaptic axon terminals. Each presynaptic
terminal contains a big amount of small vesicles filled with a mediator. Moreover,
it contains the neurofibrils, which can move the vesicles toward a synaptic cleft.
The synaptic cleft is a narrow space (of about 2030 Angstrems) between the
presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. The ionic composition of the synaptic cleft
is identical to the ionic composition in the extracellular space. This means that
there is a high concentration of sodium and chloride ions in the synaptic cleft
compared to the cellular content. The membrane of the postsynaptic neuron,
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which surrounds the synaptic cleft, is called the postsynaptic membrane. This
membrane has the receptors, to which the mediator can bind. If this binding
occurs, the permeability to the different ions is changing and a postsynaptic
graded potential is formed.
Let’s look on the mechanism of the synaptic transmission in detail. Action
potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and opens its calcium channels. The
calcium ions move into the cell according to the concentration gradient and
activate the exocytosis of mediator into the synaptic cleft. The molecules of the
mediator bind to the receptor of the postsynaptic membrane and change its
permeability to the ions. Depending on the receptor type, this binding produces a
depolarizing or hyperpolarizing graded potential in the postsynaptic membrane.
For example, the binding of acetylcholine to ligandgated Sodium channels causes
them to open, allowing the diffusion of Sodium ions into the postsynaptic cell. If
the resulting depolarizing graded potential reaches the threshold, an action
potential is produced. On the other hand, the opening of Potassium or Chlorine
channels results in a hyperpolarizing graded potential.
Depending on the changes of the membrane potential in the postsynaptic cell all
synapses are divided into two types:
excitatory synapses, in which excitatory postsynaptic potential or EPSP occurs
and inhibitory synapses, in which inhibitory postsynaptic potential or IPSP
occurs.
EPSP is a local graded depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane. If this
depolarization reaches the threshold, the cell produces action potential and
conducts it along the membrane.
IPSP is a local graded hyperpolarization. It moves the membrane potential further
from threshold and decreases the likelihood of producing action potentials.
If the presynaptic neuron produces EPSP in the contacted cell, it is called
excitatory neuron. If it produces IPSP, it is called an inhibitory neuron.