Final answer:
Single-cell recordings measure the pattern of firing of individual neurons, which contributes to understanding the process of neurotransmitter release and synaptic communication in complex neuronal networks.
Step-by-step explanation:
Single-cell recordings measure the pattern of firing of individual neurons. These recordings are crucial for understanding how neurons communicate through electrical signals. When a signal travels down the axon to the terminal buttons, synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft, a small space between neurons where transmission of signals occurs.
Neurotransmitters then traverse this gap and bind to receptors on the dendrite of an adjacent neuron, enabling neuronal communication. The immense number of possible synaptic connections dendrites can make, like those from a Purkinje cell, illustrates the complexity of neuronal networks.