synaptic cleft

American  

noun

Physiology.

1. the small gap, measured in nanometers, between an axon terminal and any of the cell membranes in the immediate vicinity.

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Etymology

Origin of synaptic cleft

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

The neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to receptor proteins on the postsynaptic membrane.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

In a chemical synapse, the action potential causes release of neurotransmitter molecules into the synaptic cleft.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft to bind to its receptor.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to receptors in the post-synaptic membrane.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

Neurons communicate between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites, and sometimes the cell body, of another neuron across the gap between them, known as the synaptic cleft.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013