Abstract
Chemical neurotransmission may include transmission to local or remote sites. Locally,
contact between ‘bare’ portions of the bulbous nerve terminal termed a varicosity
and the effector cell may be in the form of either synapse or non-synaptic contact.
Traditionally, all local transmissions between nerves and effector cells are considered
synaptic in nature. This is particularly true for communication between neurons. However,
communication between nerves and other effectors such as smooth muscles has been described
as nonsynaptic or junctional in nature. Nonsynaptic neurotransmission is now also
increasingly recognized in the CNS. This review focuses on the relationship between
structure and function that orchestrate synaptic and junctional neurotransmissions.
A synapse is a specialized focal contact between the presynaptic active zone capable
of ultrafast release of soluble transmitters and the postsynaptic density that cluster
ionotropic receptors. The presynaptic and the postsynaptic areas are separated by
the ‘closed’ synaptic cavity. The physiological hallmark of the synapse is ultrafast
postsynaptic potentials lasting milliseconds. In contrast, junctions are juxtapositions
of nerve terminals and the effector cells without clear synaptic specializations and
the junctional space is ‘open’ to the extracellular space. Based on the nature of
the transmitters, postjunctional receptors and their separation from the release sites,
the junctions can be divided into ‘close’ and ‘wide’ junctions. Functionally, the
‘close’ and the ‘wide’ junctions can be distinguished by postjunctional potentials
lasting ~1 s and tens of seconds, respectively. Both synaptic and junctional communications are
common between neurons; however, junctional transmission is the rule at many neuro-non-neural
effectors.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 27, 2013
Accepted:
February 18,
2013
Received in revised form:
December 28,
2012
Received:
October 12,
2009
Footnotes
☆Grant support: This work was supported by a NIDDK grant (DK 062867).
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
