Final answer:
The statement is true; the neuromuscular junction is a synapse where motor end plates act as the post-synaptic cells, with activities similar to other chemical synapses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the neuromuscular junction is essentially a synapse except the motor end plates act as the post-synaptic cells is true. The neuromuscular junction functions similarly to chemical synapses found in the nervous system, with key components including a presynaptic element (axon terminals of a motor neuron), a neurotransmitter (acetylcholine), a synaptic cleft, receptor proteins (nicotinic acetylcholine receptors), and a postsynaptic element (the sarcolemma of a muscle cell). When acetylcholine is released from synaptic vesicles, it binds to receptors on the motor end-plate, which is part of the muscle fiber's sarcolemma. This triggers a depolarization of the muscle membrane and initiates muscle contraction.