Presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

 Presynaptic neuron

A presynaptic neuron is aneuron (nerve cell) that fires the neurotransmitter as a result of an action potential entering its axon terminal

Postsynaptic neuron

A postsynaptic neuron in a neuron (nerve cell) that receives the neurotransmitter after it has crossed the synapse and may experience an action potential if the neurotransmitter is strong enough.

Postsynaptic neurons work through temporal summation and spatial summation.

Through neurotransmission there can also be divergence or convergence.

Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Walkter P (2008) Molecular Biology Of The Cell, 5th edition, New York: Garland Science. 676, 683.