Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 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

Endplate postsynaptic structure dependent upon muscle activity

B R Pachter, A Eberstein

    Neuroscience Letters
    |December 30, 1983
    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

    An In Vitro Adult Mouse Muscle-nerve Preparation for Studying the Firing Properties of Muscle Afferents10:36

    An In Vitro Adult Mouse Muscle-nerve Preparation for Studying the Firing Properties of Muscle Afferents

    Published on: September 24, 2014

    Related Concept Videos

    Muscle Contraction01:10

    Muscle Contraction

    In skeletal muscles, acetylcholine is released by nerve terminals at the motor endplate—the point of synaptic communication between motor neurons and muscle fibers. The binding of acetylcholine to its receptors on the sarcolemma allows entry of sodium ions into the cell and triggers an action potential in the muscle cell. Thus, electrical signals from the brain are transmitted to the muscle. Subsequently, the enzyme acetylcholinesterase breaks down acetylcholine to prevent excessive muscle...
    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...
    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...
    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...
    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.
    Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

    Motor Unit Stimulation

    When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
    The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...