The somewhat enlarged, often club-shaped endings by which axons create synaptic contacts with another
nerve cells or with
effector cells (muscle or
gland cells). As isolated, by homogenizing
brain or
spinal cord, they contain
acetylcholine and the
related enzymes. Terminals contain
neurotransmitters of different kinds, sometimes more than one. These can be demonstrated by
chemical analysis and immunocytochemical methods.
See: synapse.
Synonym:
axonal terminal boutons, end-feet, neuropodia, pieds terminaux, synaptic boutons, synaptic endings, synaptic terminals,
terminal boutons,
bouton terminaux.