The release of neurotransmitters and how they activate receptors is really interesting! Let me break it down for you:
Calcium Enters: When a nerve signal reaches the end of a nerve cell, special doors called voltage-gated calcium channels open. This allows calcium (Ca²⁺) to flow into the cell.
Vesicles Combine: The calcium that comes in causes tiny packages, called synaptic vesicles, to join with the cell's outer layer. This releases neurotransmitters into the space between the cells, known as the synaptic cleft.
Binding to Receptors: The neurotransmitters then attach to special spots called receptors on the next nerve cell. This can change how easy it is for ions to pass through and can start a response that either excites or slows things down.
It's like a perfect dance between chemicals and their special spots!
The release of neurotransmitters and how they activate receptors is really interesting! Let me break it down for you:
Calcium Enters: When a nerve signal reaches the end of a nerve cell, special doors called voltage-gated calcium channels open. This allows calcium (Ca²⁺) to flow into the cell.
Vesicles Combine: The calcium that comes in causes tiny packages, called synaptic vesicles, to join with the cell's outer layer. This releases neurotransmitters into the space between the cells, known as the synaptic cleft.
Binding to Receptors: The neurotransmitters then attach to special spots called receptors on the next nerve cell. This can change how easy it is for ions to pass through and can start a response that either excites or slows things down.
It's like a perfect dance between chemicals and their special spots!