1. Step 1 - Nerve Impulse Nerve signal from brain arrives at neuromuscular junction & axon terminal
reaches Neuromuscu- of motor neuron
lar Junction
2. Step 2 - Acetylcholine Motor neuron releases neurotransmitter Acetylcholine (Ach) into synaptic
(ACH) Released by Mo- gap between nerve & muscle cells
tor Neuron
3. Step 3 - ACH binds to ACH (key) binds to receptors on the muscle cell
Muscle Receptor Sites
4. Step 4 - Sodium Chan- Receptors stimulated by ACH allow sodium (Na+) channels in muscle cell
nels in muscle OPEN to open
5. Step 5 - Na+ Ion rush Na+ influx into muscle cell causes polarity change, creates electrical cur-
causes change in cell rent called an Action Potential
charge
6.
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