What are presynapses and how do they differ from postsynapses in terms of their localization and function?
['["Neurexins and neuroligins are two distinct families of single-pass transmembrane proteins localized at pre- and postsynapses, respectively. ", "presynaptic neurexins", "best-characterized transsynaptic interactions are formed by presynaptic neurexins, which bind to diverse postsynaptic ligands.", "presynaptic neurexin"]']
Presynapses and postsynapses are two distinct regions in a synaptic connection. Presynapses refer to the area before the synaptic cleft where neurotransmitters are released, while postsynapses are the area after the synaptic cleft where neurotransmitter receptors are located. In terms of localization, presynapses are typically found on the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron, while postsynapses are located on the dendrites or cell body of the postsynaptic neuron. Functionally, presynapses release neurotransmitters to signal the postsynaptic neuron, while postsynapses receive and respond to these signals through neurotransmitter receptors.
[]