Chemical synapses are specialized junctions through which cells of the nervous system signal to one another and to non-neuronal cells such as muscles or glands. A chemical synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle cell is called a neuromuscular junction.

Chemical synapses allow the neurons of the central nervous system to form interconnected neural circuits. They are thus crucial to the biological computations that underlie perception and thought. They also provide the means through which the nervous system connects to and controls the other systems of the body.

411B

• a monoclonal postsynaptic marker for modulations of synaptic connectivity in the rat brain. PMID: 3392534

Brain spectrin

• a membrane skeleton protein found in synapses. PMID: 2289136

Chromogranin A/Chromogranin C

• a marker for large dense-core vesicles. PMID: 1594095, PMID: 7624058
• a biochemical marker for synaptic degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. PMID: 8563783

Con A-binding glycoprotein

• a putative marker of synaptic junctions. PMID: 3382956

D2-protein

• is in the brain present on the external surface of neurones, especially in newly formed processes and in synapses. PMID: 6576115

D3-protein

• marker for mature synapses, PMID: 4067603, PMID: 6576115

GAP-43 (Growth-Associated Protein-43)

• a molecular marker for synaptic reorganization. PMID: 8075819, PMID: 9042573
• GAP43, in addition to development and regeneration, may play a significant role also in normal adult rats, especially in perivascular nerve terminals. PMID: 7691435

NCAM/N-CAM D2 (Neural cell adhesion molecule)

• a quantitative marker in synaptic remodeling. PMID: 7643959, PMID: 3654182, PMID: 3567596

p65

• marker for small synaptic vesicles PMID: 1594095

PSD95 (Post-Synaptic Density protein-95)

• a post-synaptic marker. PMID: 15126032
• present in all vertebrate species and appeared to be a general specific marker for postsynaptic densities (PSDs). PMID: 7086480

Secretogranin II

• marker for large dense-core vesicles. PMID: 1594095

Synapsin

• a family of four proteins that are the major peripheral proteins on the cytoplasmic face of synaptic vesicles. PMID: 7903586
•  Synapsin I is a phosphoprotein localized to the cytoplasmic surface of synaptic vesicles and is one of the best characterized neuron-specific proteins. PMID: 8287627
• synapsin I is a synapse-specific phosphoprotein present in all neurons. PMID: 2410596

Synaptin

• marker for small synaptic vesicles. PMID: 1594095
• synaptic vesicle proteins synaptin and synaptophysin/p38 were shown to be immunochemically identical. PMID: 2462508

Synaptobrevin

• Synaptobrevin-2 (VAMP-2), the major SNARE protein of synaptic vesicles, is required for fast calcium-triggered synaptic-vesicle exocytosis. PMID: 15475946  
• represents a marker for early events in synaptogenesis. PMID: 8738414
• a well-characterized membrane protein of small vesicles in neurons and endocrine cells. PMID: 2498078

Synaptogyrin (p29)

• a synaptic vesicle protein that is uniformly distributed in the nervous system. PMID: 8557746
• neuronal synaptogyrins are differentially expressed protein isoforms that may represent functionally distinct populations of synapses and/or synaptic vesicles. PMID: 14755516
• synaptogyrin I and synaptophysin I perform redundant and essential functions in synaptic plasticity without being required for neurotransmitter release itself. PMID: 10595519

Synaptophysin

• a pre-synaptic marker. PMID: 15126032
• synaptic vesicle proteins synaptin and synaptophysin/p38 were shown to be immunochemically identical. PMID: 2462508
• a marker protein for synapses during neuronal development. PMID: 8738414
• Synaptophysin and synaptoporin are homologous proteins that are among the most abundant synaptic vesicle proteins. Despite their high degree of sequence similarity, they are differentially distributed in the brain. PMID: 8797152

Synaptoporin

• a membrane protein of synaptic vesicles, which belongs to the synaptophysin family. PMID: 12974474
• differently expressed by subpopulations of mouse hippocampal neurons. PMID: 12271488

Synaptotagmin I

• small synaptic vesicle proteins. PMID: 8962603

Syntaxin

• a synaptic protein implicated in docking of synaptic vesicles at presynaptic active zones. PMID: 1321498

SV2 (Synaptic vesicle protein 2)

• A new neuroendocrine cell marker. PMID: 11021834
• marker for small synaptic vesicles. PMID: 1594095

Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1 and VGLUT2)

• pre-synaptic marker. PMID: 16814469