Master Chemical Synapse with Picmonic for Medicine

Chemical synapse describes the location in which one neuron stimulates or inhibits another neuron. It is located in the space between the nerve terminal of the pre-synaptic cell and the dendrites of the post-synaptic cell. Calcium-gated voltage channels open in the nerve-terminal due to action potential propagation resulting in calcium influx into the cell. This triggers vesicle-membrane fusion in which the vesicle containing neurotransmitter fuses with the cell membrane. This results in the exocytosis of neurotransmitter, which is the process of neurotransmitter release into the synapse. The neurotransmitter binds membrane receptors on the post-synaptic cell and either excites or inhibits the next neuron. There are two possible fates of the neurotransmitter after it has bound the receptor and released. The neurotransmitter can be broken down or can undergo reuptake with the pre-synaptic neuron to be used again at next action potential generation.