Synaptic cleft

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Synaptic Cleft

The Synaptic Cleft (pronounced: sih-NAP-tik kleft) is a crucial component in the neuronal communication process.

Etymology

The term "synaptic" is derived from the Greek word "synapsis," which means "junction," and "cleft" is an English word meaning "a narrow space or split." Thus, the term "synaptic cleft" refers to the small gap between neurons where neurotransmission occurs.

Definition

The Synaptic Cleft is a tiny gap, approximately 20 nanometers wide, that separates the axon terminal of one neuron from the dendrite of another neuron. This gap is the site where neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal, cross the cleft, and bind to receptors on the dendrite of the next neuron, thereby transmitting the neural signal.

Related Terms

  • Neuron: A neuron is a nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system.
  • Axon: An axon is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body.
  • Dendrite: Dendrites are the branched projections of a neuron that act to propagate the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project.
  • Neurotransmitter: Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that enable neurotransmission. They transmit signals across a chemical synapse, such as a neuromuscular junction, from one neuron (nerve cell) to another "target" neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.

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