The nervous system works because neurons communicate across connections called synapses. They “talk” when calcium ions flow through channels into “active zones” that are loaded with vesicles carrying ...

The idea that the nervous system passes messages from one nerve cell to another only through synapses — the points where the cells link up end to end — is changing. Two studies show how messages can ...

Navigating the world is no mean feat, especially when the world pushes back. For instance, airflow hitting a fly on its right ...

The human brain contains nearly 86 billion neurons, constantly exchanging messages like an immense social media network, but neurons do not work alone – glial cells, neurotransmitters, receptors, and ...

When it comes to brain cells, neurons get the most attention. Their central role in our thoughts, sensations and behaviors has captivated scientists. But neurons are only half the story: glia, ...

An incredible new study led by a team from the Scripps Research Institute has discovered a novel communication pathway between fat cells and the brain. The findings reveal that the brain doesn’t ...

Neurons intertwine with small blood vessels in the brain, but how do the two communicate? With elaborate three-dimensional reconstructions of electron microscopy images, scientists led by Jie-Min Jia, ...

Gut support cells communicate with surprising precision – like brain neurons – using tiny extensions to send instructions to the stem cells responsible for maintaining and healing the intestine. The ...

A team of engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has announced the creation of an artificial neuron with electrical functions that closely mirror those of biological ones. Building on ...

Nerve cells regulate and routinely refresh the collection of calcium channels that enable them to send messages across circuit connections. The nervous system works because neurons communicate across ...