Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

The Neuromuscular Junction: Measuring Synapse Size, Fragmentation and Changes in Synaptic Protein Density Using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
12:18

The Neuromuscular Junction: Measuring Synapse Size, Fragmentation and Changes in Synaptic Protein Density Using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: December 26, 2014

Molecular mechanisms underlying maturation and maintenance of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction

Lei Shi1, Amy K Y Fu, Nancy Y Ip

  • 1Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China.

Trends in Neurosciences
|May 29, 2012
PubMed

More Related Videos

Characterization of Neuromuscular Junctions in Mice by Combined Confocal and Super-Resolution Microscopy11:03

Characterization of Neuromuscular Junctions in Mice by Combined Confocal and Super-Resolution Microscopy

Published on: December 8, 2021

Dissection of Single Skeletal Muscle Fibers for Immunofluorescent and Morphometric Analyses of Whole-Mount Neuromuscular Junctions08:41

Dissection of Single Skeletal Muscle Fibers for Immunofluorescent and Morphometric Analyses of Whole-Mount Neuromuscular Junctions

Published on: August 14, 2021

Related Concept Videos

The Neuromuscular Junction01:19

The Neuromuscular Junction

The nervous system consists of complex motor neuron circuits, including upper motor neurons originating from the cerebral cortex and lower motor neurons starting in the spinal cord, coordinating both voluntary and involuntary movements. Among these, somatic motor neurons activate skeletal muscles and are classified into alpha, beta, and gamma types. Alpha neurons are vital for voluntary movement coordination, while gamma neurons adjust muscle spindle sensitivity, and the function of beta...
Neuromuscular Junction And Blockade01:29

Neuromuscular Junction And Blockade

The site of chemical communication between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber is called the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). The end of the motor neuron at the NMJ divides into a cluster of synaptic end bulbs. The cytoplasm of these bulbs consists of synaptic vesicles enclosing acetylcholine molecules, the principal neurotransmitter released at the NMJ. The region opposite the synaptic bulb that ends in the muscle fiber is called the motor end plate, which has acetylcholine receptors. Within the...
Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles01:29

Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles

The period of muscle contraction primarily influences the duration of stimulation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the presence of free calcium ions in the sarcoplasm, and the availability of energy or ATP to support contractions.
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open.
Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures01:32

Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures

Complex microtubule structures are present in resting cells and in dividing cells. In resting cells, they are responsible for maintaining the cellular architecture, tracks for intracellular transport, positioning of organelles, assembly of cilia and flagella. They mediate the bipolar spindle assembly for chromosomal segregation and positioning of the cell division plate in dividing cells. The formation of microtubule complex structures depends on the cell type, cell stage, and cell function.
Formation of Muscle Fibers from Myoblasts01:13

Formation of Muscle Fibers from Myoblasts

De novo myogenesis, or the formation of muscle fibers, begins during the early embryonic stages. The skeletal muscle is formed from somites– blocks of embryonic cell layers. The somites are further divided into dermatomes, myotomes, sclerotomes, and syndetomes. Among these, the myotomes give rise to muscle fibers.
Muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) are formed from the myotomes. MPCs express genes that encode the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7. Along with Pax 3/7, other transcription factors...
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles01:24

Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles

Every cell in the body maintains a membrane potential due to an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges across its plasma membrane. The membrane potential is measured in millivolts and quantifies the difference in charge across the membrane.
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...