In the context of synapses, what is the terminal receiving chemical messages called?

The terminal receiving chemical messages at a synapse is called the postsynaptic neuron. This is the neuron that contains receptors on its membrane, which bind to neurotransmitters that have been released from the presynaptic neuron. When neurotransmitters attach to these receptors, they initiate a series of biochemical events that can lead to changes in the postsynaptic cell, such as the generation of an electrical signal if the threshold is reached.

The presynaptic neuron, on the other hand, is responsible for releasing these chemical messages into the synaptic cleft. The synaptic terminal refers specifically to the end of the presynaptic neuron where neurotransmitters are released. Dendrites are the branched extensions of the postsynaptic neuron that receive signals from other neurons. Therefore, the term that best describes the receiving end of chemical messages in the context of a synapse is the postsynaptic neuron.