Author: Emma Bi

The chemical messenger of a neuron, a neurotransmitter, is only 0.5-5 nanometers in size. They don’t look like much, but these miniscule molecules are responsible for a cascade of signals that lead to a neuron firing in the brain. However, visualizing such small structures is no easy feat.

While dopamine is best known as the chemical responsible for the satisfying feeling from rewards like ice cream, it is also critical for the function of many parts of the brain, from mood to motion.