NMJ Background Terms

a neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory and muscle movement

• Action Potential (AP)
• Acetylcholine (ACh)
• axon terminal
• motor neurons

buildup of electrical current in the neuron

• Action Potential (AP)
• Acetylcholine (ACh)
• axon terminal
• motor neurons

The endpoint of a neuron where neurotransmitters are stored

• Action Potential (AP)
• Acetylcholine (ACh)
• axon terminal
• motor neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

• Action Potential (AP)
• Acetylcholine (ACh)
• axon terminal
• motor neurons

a single muscle cell

• muscle fiber
• Myofibril
• neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
• Neurotransmitters

tightly packed filament bundles found within skeletal muscle fibers

• muscle fiber
• Myofibril
• neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
• Neurotransmitters

Synapse between motor neuron and muscle fiber.

• muscle fiber
• Myofibril
• neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
• Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

• muscle fiber
• Myofibril
• neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
• Neurotransmitters

Structures specialized to perform distinct processes within a cell.

• organelles
• Sarcolemma
• sarcoplasmic reticulum
• synaptic cleft (synapse)

muscle cell membrane

• organelles
• Sarcolemma
• sarcoplasmic reticulum
• synaptic cleft (synapse)