postsynaptic

adjective

post·​syn·​ap·​tic ˌpōs(t)-sə-ˈnap-tik How to pronounce postsynaptic (audio)
1
: occurring after synapsis
a postsynaptic chromosome
2
: of, occurring in, or being a nerve cell by which a wave of excitation is conveyed away from a synapse
a postsynaptic membrane
postsynaptically adverb

Examples of postsynaptic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But equally, if some areas of the postsynaptic membrane are pretty much empty, transmitters hitting those spots might not do much. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2013 In particular, the researchers focused on one protein called postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95). William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022 Blue-lipped kraits, docile and slow to bite, inject a venom dominated by postsynaptic neurotoxins that causes little or no local effects but can lead to paralysis, muscle damage, or bleeding within hours. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 11 June 2020 Until now, it's been believed that within a synapse, receptors are just randomly distributed over the postsynaptic cell membrane. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2013 Take a look: Here's the distribution of GluA1 and GluA2 AMPA receptors within a single postsynaptic bulb. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2013 The findings from this new study seem to bear on that mystery because the researchers found presynaptic gene sets expressed in neuroid cells and postsynaptic genes expressed in choanocytes. Quanta Magazine, 4 Nov. 2021 And every one of these billions and billions and billions of action potentials and postsynaptic potentials across the 10 quadrillion synapses connecting the neurons in the human brain are all taking place independent of each other. Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2021 What’s the consequence of all the work required to generate an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron? Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'postsynaptic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of postsynaptic was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near postsynaptic

Cite this Entry

“Postsynaptic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postsynaptic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

postsynaptic

adjective
post·​syn·​ap·​tic ˌpōst-sə-ˈnap-tik How to pronounce postsynaptic (audio)
1
: occurring after synapsis
a postsynaptic chromosome
2
: relating to, occurring in, or being part of a neuron that receives a nerve impulse after it has crossed a synapse
postsynaptic dopamine receptors
At a synapse, information in the form of chemicals called neurotransmitters flows from the so-called presynaptic cell to one dubbed the postsynaptic cell.Joe Z. Tsien, Scientific American
postsynaptically adverb
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