Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals which relay, amplify, and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell.Neurotransmitters are packaged into synaptic vesicles that cluster beneath the membrane on the presynaptic side of a synapse, and are released into the synaptic cleft, where they bind to receptors in the membrane on the postsynaptic side of the synapse. Release of neurotransmitters usually follows arrival of an action potential at the synapse, but may follow graded electrical potentials. Low level "baseline" release also occurs without electrical stimulation.


Criteria to identify neurotransmitter
1. presence in presynaptic nerve terminal

2. synthesis by presynaptic neuron

3. releasing on stimulation (membrane depolarisation)

4. producing rapid-onset and rapidly reversible responses in the target cell

5. existence of specific receptor