Synaptic transmission

What's in the picture?

• synaptic vesicles

• neurotransmitters

• presynaptic neuron

• postsynaptic neuron

• synaptic cleft

What's in the picture?

• synaptic vesicles

• neurotransmitters

• presynaptic neuron

• postsynaptic neuron

• synaptic cleft

What's in the picture?

• synaptic vesicles

• neurotransmitters

• presynaptic neuron

• postsynaptic neuron

• synaptic cleft

What's in the picture?

• synaptic vesicles

• neurotransmitters

• presynaptic neuron

• postsynaptic neuron

• synaptic cleft

What generates a nerve impulse on the post-synaptic membrane? 

• Calcium binding with a receptor site
• Potassium leaking into the post-synaptic membrane 
• Neurotransmitter binding with receptor sites
• Neurotransmitter being removed from the synapse

What is the role of calcium ions during synaptic transmission?

• Generate action potentials

• Speed up the impulse transmission

• Depolarisation of the synaptic knob

• Trigger vesicles containing neurotransmitters to fuse with the presynaptic membrane

Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the synapse?

• Neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron

• At the synapse, chemical signals are converted into electrical signals

• The small gap between neurons is called the synaptic cleft

• Neurotransmitters bind to ligand-gated ion channels on the post-synaptic membrane

Neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic membrane into the synaptic cleft by the process of:

• Osmosis

• Diffusion

• Active transport

• Exocytosis

In order for a neuron to generate an action potential, the neuron must receive more

• excitatory neurotransmitters

• inhibitory neurotransmitters

• agnostic neurotransmitters

• antagonistic neurotransmitters

After exocytosis into the synaptic cleft, neurotransmitters are:

• Degraded by enzymes

• Degraded by enzymes or taken up by the post-synaptic neuron

• Degraded by enzymes or taken up by the pre-synaptic neuron

• Transported into the blood and filtered by the kidneys