Nerve synapse. Illustration of the junction between two nerve cells. The junction between a nerve cell and another cell is called a synapse. This is w

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Nerve synapse. Illustration of the junction between two nerve cells. The junction between a nerve cell and another cell is called a synapse. This is where vesicles (larger purple spheres) of chemicals known as neurotransmitters (blue spheres) cross the gap from an axon (nerve cell extension, top) to trigger the other (postsynaptic) cell (bottom). The incoming nerve impulse (from top) releases the neurotransmitter, which crosses the gap and binds to receptors (yellow) on the receiving nerve cell, allowing increased flow of ions such as calcium (red spheres).

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Size: 3744px × 5616px
Photo credit: © PATRICK LANDMANN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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