Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Historical View and Physiology Demonstration at the NMJ of the Crayfish Opener Muscle
11:56

Historical View and Physiology Demonstration at the NMJ of the Crayfish Opener Muscle

Published on: November 9, 2009

The effects of calcium and magnesium on statistical release parameters at the crayfish neuromuscular junction

A Wernig

    The Journal of Physiology
    |November 1, 1972
    PubMed

    More Related Videos

    Physiological Recordings of High and Low Output NMJs on the Crayfish Leg Extensor Muscle10:00

    Physiological Recordings of High and Low Output NMJs on the Crayfish Leg Extensor Muscle

    Published on: November 17, 2010

    Membrane Potentials, Synaptic Responses, Neuronal Circuitry, Neuromodulation and Muscle Histology Using the Crayfish: Student Laboratory Exercises16:16

    Membrane Potentials, Synaptic Responses, Neuronal Circuitry, Neuromodulation and Muscle Histology Using the Crayfish: Student Laboratory Exercises

    Published on: January 18, 2011

    Related Concept Videos

    Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration01:27

    Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration

    Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
    Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
    Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

    Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

    Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
    The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
    Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

    Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

    Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
    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.
    Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

    Smooth Muscle Contraction

    Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
    The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...