Intro | Presynaptic Neuron | Postsynaptic Neuron | Terminal Button | Axon | Neural Impulse | Synaptic Vesicles | Neurotransmitter Molecules | Cell Membrane | Transmitter does not fit at receptor | Transmitter fits receptor | Receptor Sites | Synaptic Cleft
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12. The Synaptic Cleft is a microscopic space between the terminal button of one neuron (presynaptic neuron) and the dendrite, or soma, of another (postsynaptic neuron).
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The size of the synaptic cleft or gap between pre- and postsynaptic membranes is variable, but is usually approximately 200 angstroms in width. An angstrom is one ten-millionth of a millimeter. The synaptic cleft contains extracellular fluid, via which the neurotransmitters travel on their way to the receptor sites.