Synapses & Neurotransmitters - created from Mind Map

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Chemical Synapses: Rely on the release of chemical neurotransmitters to the target cell

Electric Synapses: Rely on the movement of electrical current via gap junctions, common in rapid, and unvarying neural pathways

Ligand- Gated Channel: Receptor protein that and responds to neurotransmitters, neurotransmitter binding causes the channel to open creating a postsynaptic potential

Acetylcholine: Both vertebrates & Invertebrates, common

Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials (EPSPs) are Depolarizations that bring potential closer to the threshold (-55)

Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials (IPSPs) are Hyperpolarizations that move membrane potential further from threshold

Muscarinic Receptors are metabotrophic.

Nicotinic Receptors are ligand gated

Vertebrate Neuromuscular Junction (very important), when acetylcholine is released by motor neurons, it binds to this receptor, ion channel opens, produces EPSPs. This excitatory activity is stopped by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase

Excitatory in Skeletal muscle, but binds to a metabotrophic receptor in the heart, where it has an inhibitory effect.