Vesicular Neurotransmitter Transporters

Synaptic transmission involves the regulated release of transmitter molecules to the synaptic cleft, where they interact with postsynaptic receptors that subsequently transduce the information. Removal of the transmitter from the cleft enables termination of the signal and usually occurs by its reuptake back into the presynaptic terminal or into glial elements by a sodium-dependent process. This process assures constant and high levels of neurotransmitters in the neuron and low concentrations in the cleft.