postsyˈnaptic, a.
1. Cytology. [post- B. 1 b.] Subsequent to meiotic synapsis.
| 1909 [see presynaptic a. 1]. 1912 Jrnl. Exper. Zool. XIII. 377 (heading) The post-synaptic spireme. Pachytene and diplotene. 1921 Ann. Bot. XXXV. 366 During the period when the mother-cells are in synapsis and the postsynaptic spireme stages, the tapetal cells vary greatly in appearance. 1931 Cytologia II. 353 Secondary association..is a post-synaptic phenomenon. |
2. Physiol. [post- B. 2.] Of, pertaining to, or designating a neurone that receives a nerve impulse at a synapse. Opp. presynaptic a. 2.
| 1937, 1965 [see presynaptic a. 2]. 1974 M. C. Gerald Pharmacol. v. 100 This interaction may produce one of two types of changes in the permeability of the postsynaptic membrane. |
Hence postsyˈnaptically adv.
| 1952 Jrnl. Physiol. CXVII. 115 The fact that a moderate dose of curarine abolishes ‘external’ as well as ‘internal’ miniature potentials, strongly indicates that they both arise ‘post-synaptically’, in the end-plate. 1973 Nature 8 June 355/1 Lead can only block postsynaptically in conditions in which the density of ACh-receptor complexes is much lower than it is during an end-plate potential. 1978 Ibid. 22 June 674/1 These neurones lie postsynaptically to high densities of nerve terminals shown by immuno⁓histochemical techniques to contain somatostatin-like material. |