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At a chemical synapse between two nerve cells, the presynaptic cell releases chemical ligands that carry the signal to the next cell. What are these ligands called?
ACirculating hormones
BNeurotransmitters
CBacterial autoinducers
DSecond messengers
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Neurotransmitters
1. The presynaptic cell releases chemical ligands called neurotransmitters into the chemical synapse.
2. These neurotransmitters travel across the small distance to bind receptors on the postsynaptic cell.
3. Hormones are the ligands of endocrine signaling, which travels through the bloodstream, not across a synapse.
4. Autoinducers are bacterial signaling molecules used in quorum sensing, an unrelated system.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 9 "Cell Communication", section 9.1 Signaling Molecules and Cellular Receptors_
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