When an action potential reaches the axon terminal of a...

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Key Concepts

Action Potential

An action potential is a brief electrical impulse that travels along the neuron's membrane, serving as the fundamental mechanism for transmitting signals within the nervous system. This rapid change in electrical potential initiates communication between neurons.

Axon Terminal

The axon terminal is the end part of a neuron’s axon where the electrical signal is converted into chemical signals. It plays a crucial role in facilitating signal transmission by triggering the release of neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers released by neurons at the axon terminal in response to an action potential. They cross the synaptic gap to bind with receptors on neighboring neurons, thereby conveying and modulating signals in neural networks.

Synaptic Transmission

Synaptic transmission is the process by which signals are transferred from one neuron to another across a synapse. This mechanism involves the release of neurotransmitters from the axon terminal, the crossing of these chemicals across the synaptic cleft, and their binding to receptors on the postsynaptic cell, which perpetuates or modulates the neural signal.

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