SYNAPSIS (synapses)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: synapses   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does synapsis mean? 

• SYNAPSIS (noun)
  The noun SYNAPSIS has 1 sense:

1. the side by side pairing of homologous maternal and paternal chromosomes at the start of meiosis

  Familiarity information: SYNAPSIS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SYNAPSIS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The side by side pairing of homologous maternal and paternal chromosomes at the start of meiosis

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("synapsis" is a kind of...):

biological process; organic process (a process occurring in living organisms)

Holonyms ("synapsis" is a part of...):

leptotene (the first stage of the prophase of meiosis)

 Context examples 

Brain tissue analysis of the klotho-enhanced mice showed that their synapses had more of a receptor subunit called GluN2B than control mice.

(Longevity gene linked to better brain skills, NIH, US)

Plic-1 is a ubiquitin-like protein that binds to GABA-A receptors and causes them to accumulate at inhibitory synapses.

(GABA Receptor Life Cycle Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Included are neuromodulators, neuroregulators, neuromediators, and neurohumors, whether or not acting at synapses.

(Neurotransmitter, NCI Thesaurus)

Neurotransmitters are signaling molecules used by neurons to communicate across chemical synapses.

(Neurotransmitter Biosynthesis Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

One involves the structure of synapses, the connections between nerve cells across which brain signals travel.

(Gene Disruptions Associated with Autism Risk, NIH)

Analysis of both human brain tissue and neurons in the lab confirmed C4 production in neurons, particularly at sites of connection between neurons, called synapses.

(A biological mechanism for schizophrenia, NIH)

The researchers used advanced microscopic techniques to spot Shisa7 tightly clustered with GABAA receptors at synapses.

(‘Sticky’ gene may help Valium calm nerves, National Institutes of Health)

Acetylcholine is removed from synapses through degradation by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase.

(Attenuation of GPCR Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

During early development of the nervous system, neurons elongate their axons towards their targets and establish and maintain synapses through formation of cell-cell adhesions.

(Cell Adhesion Molecule Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

As the FUS protein condenses (from droplets to gel) it captures RNA and transfers it to remote parts of the neuron that are involved in making connections (known as synapses) with other neurons.

(Mechanism behind neuron death in motor neurone disease and frontotemporal dementia discovered, University of Cambridge)