https://wikimd.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Active_zoneActive zone - Revision history2026-04-24T23:55:03ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.44.2https://wikimd.org/index.php?title=Active_zone&diff=5377455&oldid=prevPrabhu at 19:53, 9 March 20242024-03-09T19:53:38Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>'''Active Zone'''<br />
The '''Active Zone''' is a specialized region within the [[presynaptic]] terminal where [[neurotransmitter]] vesicles dock and fuse in response to stimulation, leading to neurotransmitter release into the [[synaptic cleft]]. This process is fundamental to [[neurotransmission]], the primary method of communication between [[neurons]].<br />
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==Structure==<br />
The active zone is characterized by a high density of [[protein]]s that are involved in the docking and fusion of neurotransmitter vesicles. These proteins include [[SNARE proteins|SNAREs]], [[Munc13]], [[RIM proteins|RIMs]], and [[Liprin-alpha]]. The active zone is also associated with the [[cytoskeleton]], which helps to position the vesicles for release.<br />
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[[File:Active zone3.JPG|thumb|alt=Active_zone3]]<br />
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==Function==<br />
* The primary function of the active zone is to facilitate the release of neurotransmitters from the presynaptic neuron. This is achieved through a process known as [[exocytosis]], in which the vesicles fuse with the presynaptic membrane and release their contents into the synaptic cleft. The neurotransmitters then bind to [[receptor]]s on the [[postsynaptic]] neuron, leading to a change in its electrical activity.<br />
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* The active zone also plays a role in the recycling of vesicles. After exocytosis, the vesicle membrane is retrieved by [[endocytosis]] and refilled with neurotransmitter for future release.<br />
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==Clinical significance==<br />
Alterations in the structure or function of the active zone can lead to neurological disorders. For example, mutations in the genes encoding active zone proteins have been linked to [[autism]], [[schizophrenia]], and [[intellectual disability]]. Furthermore, the active zone is a target for certain neurotoxins, such as [[botulinum toxin]], which inhibits neurotransmitter release by cleaving SNARE proteins.<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Synapse]]<br />
* [[Neurotransmission]]<br />
* [[Exocytosis]]<br />
* [[Endocytosis]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
{{Vesicular transport proteins}}<br />
{{Nervous tissue}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
{{stub}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Active Zone}}<br />
* [[Category:Neurophysiology]]<br />
* [[Category:Cellular neuroscience]]<br />
* [[Category:Cell signaling]]<br />
* [[Category:Signal transduction]]<br />
* [[Category:Molecular neuroscience]]<br />
* [[Category:Neuroanatomy]]<br />
* [[Category:Cell biology]]<br />
{{anatomy-stub}}</div>Prabhu