[sin-aps, si-naps] 
noun, verb, -apsed, -aps⋅ing. Physiology| 1. | a region where nerve impulses are transmitted and received, encompassing the axon terminal of a neuron that releases neurotransmitters in response to an impulse, an extremely small gap across which the neurotransmitters travel, and the adjacent membrane of an axon, dendrite, or muscle or gland cell with the appropriate receptor molecules for picking up the neurotransmitters. |
| 2. | Cell Biology, Physiology. to form a synapse or a synapsis. |
| syn·apse (sĭn'āps', sĭ-nāps') n. The junction across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell. intr.v. syn·apsed, syn·aps·ing, syn·aps·es
[Greek sunapsis, point of contact, from sunaptein, to join together : sun-, syn- + haptein, to fasten.] |
A gap between two nerve cells. Nerve signals are sent across the gap by neurotransmitters.
synapse syn·apse (sĭn'āps', sĭ-nāps')
n.
The junction across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron, a muscle cell, or a gland cell.
æps