Terminals of Communication
Published: 10.05.2012
Most nerve cells use chemical synapses to communicate. With their so-called synaptic terminals, they dock onto other nerve cells – separated only by a narrow gap through which they release neurotransmitters. This image shows these docking sites of other nerve cells on a target cell. Each of these synapses can stimulate the target neuron to transmit impulses by releasing the neurotransmitter glutamate. The shape of the neuron can be imagined based on the high density of synapses lining the cell body.
For more information and exciting images on this topic, see our slideshow. ▸ Communication under the Microscope
© Sabrina Eichler /AG Jochen Meier /MDC Berlin, 2010
