synapse

Neurons have specialized projections called dendrites and axons. Dendrites bring information to the cell body and axons take information away from the cell body.

Information from one neuron flows to another neuron across a synapse. The synapse contains a small gap separating neurons. The synapse consists of:

    1. a presynaptic ending that contains neurotransmitters, mitochondria and other cell organelles

    2. a postsynaptic ending that contains receptor sites for neurotransmitters

    3. a synaptic cleft or space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic endings.