Lesson: Synapses Biology

In this lesson, we will learn how to describe the structure of a synapse and explain how information is transmitted across synapses.

Lesson Plan

Students will be able to

recall that neurons can form synapses with other neurons, muscle fibers, or gland cells,
describe the structure of a cholinergic synapse, including the vesicles and the calcium ion channels of the presynaptic neuron and the acetylcholine receptors and sodium ion channels of the postsynaptic neuron,
explain the mechanism of transmitting a nervous impulse across a synapse via the neurotransmitter acetylcholine,
describe the role of acetylcholinesterase in breaking down acetylcholine,
recall that transmission across a synapse is unidirectional.

Q1:

Which of the following pathways best illustrates how a nerve impulse travels from a motor neuron to another?

Q2:

Neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft due to .

Q3:

are embedded in the presynaptic membrane, and their action is very important in transmitting nerve impulses across synapses.