Final answer:
The gap between the terminal of a nerve cell and the membrane of a skeletal muscle cell is called the synaptic cleft. This gap is essential for neurotransmitters to travel from the nerve to the muscle and trigger a response.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gap between the terminal of a nerve cell and the membrane of a skeletal muscle cell is known as the synaptic cleft. This is the small space through which neurotransmitters are released from the synaptic vesicles of the nerve cell into the synapse, allowing them to bind to receptors on the muscle cell membrane and trigger a response. The synaptic cleft is crucial for the transmission of the electrical signal from the nerve to the muscle, leading to muscle contraction. Other options provided such as axon hillock, myelin sheath, and node of Ranvier have different roles in the neuron's function. The axon hillock is part of the neuron where the action potential is initiated. The myelin sheath is an insulating layer that surrounds axons, speeding up the electrical transmission along the axon, and nodes of Ranvier are gaps in the myelin sheath which aid in rapid signal conduction.