Transmission at chemical synapses is slow compared with that at electrical synapses.This difference might reflect
A) the lesser capability of postsynaptic cells at chemical synapses for temporal summation.
B) the several steps required for signal transmission at chemical synapses.
C) the indirect passage of electric current from cell to cell at electrical synapses.
D) the greater number of gap junctions at chemical synapses.
E) the fact that chemical synapses are both excitatory and inhibitory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Chemical synapses involve several steps including the release of neurotransmitters from the presynaptic cell, diffusion across the synaptic cleft, binding to receptors on the postsynaptic cell, and subsequent signaling events within the postsynaptic cell. Electrical synapses, on the other hand, involve direct passage of ions and electrical currents from cell to cell via gap junctions, making the signal transmission faster.

Transmission at Chemical Synapses Is Slow Compared with That at Electrical