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AAT Bioquest

What messages do neurotransmitters transmit to the target cell?

Posted May 3, 2023


Answer

Neurotransmitters may transmit one of three possible messages to the target cell, depending on the specific neurotransmitter.

  1. Excitatory messages – These messages are transmitted by excitatory neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, glutamate, and norepinephrine. Excitatory messages are triggered when the neuron gets ‘excited’ by excitatory neurotransmitters, causing it to fire off relevant messages that keep getting passed along from one cell to another. 
  2. Inhibitory messages – These messages are transmitted by inhibitory neurotransmitters such as serotonin and glycine that prevent or block the chemical message from being passed along any further. 
  3. Modulatory messages - Modulatory neurotransmitters regulate cellular communication at the synapse by influencing the effects of other chemical messengers. 
Additional resources

Communication Networks in the Brain

Cell Signaling

Amplite® Colorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit