Question

Describe the steps of an action potential and synapse. Include the role of myelin.

Answer 1

Steps of action potential synapse

1). Nerve signals reach the presynaptic end and stimulate the end to synthesise neurotransmitters

The neurotransmitter are the ones that carry the signal of action potential from one nerve end to another that is through the synaptic cleft

Step 2) neurotransmitter packing

This occur by turning these neurotransmitter into small vesicle and packing it for dispersion

Steo 3 ) release of neurotransmitter that has been packed

When the action potential reach synaptic end if ions the calcium channel causing the release of packed neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft

The calcium gates are voltage gated

Steo neurotransmitter binding

Neurotransmitters now swim across the synaptic cleft and reach the post synaptic neuron. They bond to the neurotransmitter receptors in the postsynaptic neuron and this chemical message will be translated into electric signal by these receptors

Step 5 ) stoping of chemical signals

Once translation of action potential to the post synaptic membrane has occurred the neurotransmitter should be destroyed and some should be reabsorbed for next cycle

This is how a synapse and action potential work

The role of myelin is to increase the electrical impulse propagation speed along the myelinated fibers. In myelinated fiber electric impulses Jump from one fiber to another increasing its speed