Question

A chemical synapse ALWAYS includes ________.

1. axon terminal
2. presynaptic cell
3. synaptic cleft
4. postsynaptic cell
5. dendrite
A) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
B) 1, 2, 3, 4
C) 2, 3, 4
D) 2, 3, 4, 5
E) 1, 3, 4

Answer 1

A chemical synapse always includes a presynaptic cell, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic cell. Dendrites are not necessarily part of every synapse. Therefore, the correct answer is options 2, 3, and 4.

Step-by-step explanation:

A chemical synapse always includes several critical components involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. The key parts of a chemical synapse are the presynaptic cell, which is the neuron transmitting the signal, and the postsynaptic cell, which is the neuron receiving the signal. The narrow space between these two cells is known as the synaptic cleft, and it's here that neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron. These neurotransmitters then travel across the synaptic cleft and bind to receptors on the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron, thereby conveying the signal.

The presence of a dendrite is not always a requirement in a chemical synapse as synapses can also form between two axon terminals, between dendrites, or between an axon terminal and a cell body. Therefore, in the context of the components that are always present at a chemical synapse, the answer would be presynaptic cell, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic cell, which corresponds to choices 2, 3, and 4 from the given options.