The tripartite synapse model describes synaptic function as an interaction among the presynaptic terminal, postsynaptic compartment, and surrounding astrocytic processes.[1][2] Astrocytes influence neurotransmitter clearance, ionic buffering, metabolic support, and neuromodulatory signaling at the synapse.
This concept is a central bridge between synaptic transmission and astrocyte biology.[1:1][2:1] It is especially relevant to disease pages where glial dysfunction alters excitability, plasticity, and vulnerability.
Gliotransmitters Travel in Time and Space. Neuron (1999). ↩︎ ↩︎
Tripartite synapses: astrocytes process and control synaptic information. Trends in Neurosciences (2014). ↩︎ ↩︎