"Synapses are connections between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron, where neurotransmitters transmit a chemical signal." How would you modify this statement to make it more complete? (Check all that apply.)

Question

_____  The statement needs no modification.
_____  Synapses can also form between an axon and a cell soma.
_____  Neuromuscular synapses form between the axon of a neuron and a muscle.
_____  Synapses often form among the parts of a single cell.
_____  Synapses can be electrical as well as chemical.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?

Gather Content/Choose Answer
· What do you already know about synapses? What other information is related to the question?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

_____  The statement needs no modification.
__X__  Synapses can also form between an axon and a cell soma.
__X__  Neuromuscular synapses form between the axon of a neuron and a muscle.
_____  Synapses often form among the parts of a single cell.
__X__  Synapses can be electrical as well as chemical.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o Types of synaptic connections.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This is an analyze question because you have to break synapses into their component pieces to understand the cell types and parts of cells that are involved.

Gather Content/Choose Answer
· What do you already know about synapses? What other information is related to the question?
        o To solve this problem, you’ll need to understand what a synapse is and where they can be found. Synapses are connections between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron. By definition, synapses are connections between two cells, so answer (d) cannot be correct. The question states that this is where neurotransmitters transmit a chemical signal, but are neurotransmitters the only way to send a signal from one neuron to another? No, electrical synapses allow ion flow across gap junctions from one neuron to another without the use of neurotransmitters. Can synapses occur between an axon and a muscle cell (neuromuscular junction) or the soma of another neuron? Yes, they can.
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o If you figured out the correct answer, good job! If not, where did you go wrong? Answering this question correctly depended not only on distinguishing between chemical synapses and electrical synapses, but on your ability to break down different categories of synaptic connections. If you got an incorrect answer, did you remember that a neuromuscular junction is a synapse, or remember that neurons can also have electrical synapses? While synapses commonly occur between axons and dendrites, did you recall that they can also occur at the soma?