BRAINCAKEPre-synaptic Membrane
The events at the presynaptic membrane turn an electrical signal (the action potential) into a chemical one (the release of neurotransmitter). At a cholinergic synapse:
1. An action potential arrives at the synaptic knob and depolarises the presynaptic membrane.
2. The depolarisation opens voltage-gated calcium ion channels in the presynaptic membrane.
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Key terms in this lesson
- exocytosis
- The process by which a cell releases a substance to the outside by fusing a vesicle with the cell surface membrane.
More in Mammalian Nervous System
- Refractory Period
- Transmission of Nerve Impulses
- Saltatory Conduction
- Synapses
- Post-Synaptic Membrane
- Neurotransmitters
- Drugs
- Nicotine
All 38 lessons in Mammalian Nervous System · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics