Question

List the steps of neurotransmitter release and termination in your own words.

Answer 1

Neurotransmitter release and termination involves the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, their binding to receptors on the adjacent neuron, and the subsequent clearance of excess neurotransmitters.

Step-by-step explanation:

Neurotransmitter release and termination involves several steps:

1. When an action potential reaches the axon terminals, voltage-gated Ca²+ channels open and Ca²+ ions enter the terminal.
2. The Ca²+ ions facilitate the merging of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic membrane, releasing the neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft through exocytosis.
3. The neurotransmitters travel across the synaptic cleft and bind to receptors on the dendrites of the adjacent neuron.
4. Once the signal is delivered, excess neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft are cleared through reuptake, enzymatic degradation, or diffusion. This helps regulate the production of neurotransmitters and provides an 'on' and 'off' state between signals.