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Neuromuscular junction
- What happens at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ)? Describe the events in the motor neuron and at the motor end plate.
- What happens in a muscle cell after the events in the NMJ that leads to the release of Ca+ +?
- What happens at a sarcomere after Ca++ becomes available? Describe the contraction cycle and include the functions of all proteins in the thin and thick filaments.
Overview
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a highly specialized synapse between a motor neuron nerve terminal and its muscle fiber that are responsible for converting electrical impulses generated by the motor neuron into electrical activity in the muscle fibers. On arrival of the motor nerve action potential, calcium enters the presynaptic terminal, which leads to the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach). Acetylcholine (Ach) crosses the synaptic gap and binds to acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) tightly clustered on the surface of the muscle fiber; this leads to the endplate potential which initiates the muscle action potential that results in muscle contraction.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2020.610964/full
