Asked by Keely Buchanan on May 07, 2024
Verified
Why isn't an action potential transmitted from a postsynaptic membrane to a presynaptic terminal?
A) Presynaptic terminals have no acetylcholine receptors.
B) Presynaptic neurons do not have a resting membrane potential.
C) Acetylcholine can only diffuse in one direction across the synaptic cleft.
D) Synaptic vesicles in the postsynaptic membrane are inactive.
E) Acetylcholine is destroyed too quickly.
Presynaptic Terminal
The end part of a nerve cell (neuron) that releases neurotransmitters to send a signal across the synapse to another neuron.
Acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter involved in many functions including muscle activation, heart rate, and the processing of memory and cognition.
Synaptic Cleft
The microscopic gap between neurons across which neurotransmitters are released, facilitating communication between cells.
- Explain the mechanism of synaptic transmission, focusing on the function of neurotransmitters and the chronological sequence from the release of neurotransmitters to the reaction in the postsynaptic neuron.
Verified Answer
RA
roberto AntunezMay 13, 2024
Final Answer :
A
Explanation :
Presynaptic terminals lack acetylcholine receptors, which are necessary for receiving the chemical signals that would trigger an action potential in the direction of the presynaptic neuron. Action potentials are unidirectional, moving from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron, not the reverse.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the mechanism of synaptic transmission, focusing on the function of neurotransmitters and the chronological sequence from the release of neurotransmitters to the reaction in the postsynaptic neuron.