How can I explain the process of synaptic transmission between two neurons?

The synaptic transmission is a chemical transfer of information between two neurons (pre-synaptic and post-synaptic). It involves the conversion of an electrical impulse into a chemical message.Firstly, the electrical impulse has to reach the axon terminal of the pre-synaptic neuron. This causes the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in the pre-synaptic membrane to open. The influx of Ca2+ ions triggers the vesicles containing the neurotransmitters to move to the pre-synaptic membrane. The vesicles fuse with the membrane and the neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft via exocytosis. The neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) diffuse across the synapse and bind to the receptors in the post-synaptic membrane. The binding causes Na+ channels to open which triggers an electrical impulse in the post-synaptic neuron. The neurotransmitters are then broken down by enzymes. 

Answered by Michaela G. Biology tutor

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