Neurons have a capability for both communication within the cell and between cells. These are done via sending electrical signals, or action potentials. This ability is called action potential conduction. The process of communication between neurons is called neurotransmission and can be done in various ways, including chemical and electric neurotransmission moving electric signals. The dangers threatening the neurons are reuptake and degradation of enzymes.
Two neurons are interconnected through gap junctions, which allow changes in the electrical properties of neurons to affect each other, making them act as an integral unit. Electrical neurotransmission is the process of mutual interaction between neurons at electrical synapses. Saltatory conduction describes the way an electrical impulse goes between nodes, making the arrival of the impulse at the nerve terminal faster than in the case of depolarization. This is possible because the nodes of those channels have high concentration, restarting the action potential in the process (Chen & Lui, 2022). Chemical neurotransmission works through chemical synapses, with two neurons being separated by the synaptic cleft. Action potentials, or electric signals, still move between them via a physical barrier, or a chemical messenger, created by the cleft from one neuron to another.
A cell ‘fires’ an action potential as follows: at the space between two neurons, an action potential causes the first neuron to release a chemical neurotransmitter. The latter can excite or inhibit the second neuron from firing its action potential. When a cell sends out a nerve impulse, the sodium channels in the cell membrane open and the positive sodium cells move into the cell. This leads to action potential firing, sending the electrical signal. The sodium channels have a part in generating the action potential and activating the transmission. As for reuptake and enzymatic degradation, they are two of the ways the neurotransmitter termination can take place. Reuptake can do it via enzymes, destroying astrocytes or presynaptic terminal where the neurotransmitter is stored. Degradation by enzymes may take place in the cleft between two neurons.
Thus, the communication of neurons works via moving electric signals via chemical and electric neurotransmission, sending the signals through gap junctions or the synaptic cleft. The difference between them is through which synapses they work. This may be done via an action potential ‘firing’, or transmitting the signal because of a neuron releasing a chemical neurotransmitter. The main dangers which may cause harm to the process are reuptake and degradation of enzymes.
Reference
Chen, I. & Lui, F. (2022). Neuroanatomy, Neuron Action Potential. StatPearls.