Biochemistry Questions Biochemistry Questions / Describe the process of neurotransmitter diffusion and how it contributes to signal transmission between cells.

Neurotransmitter diffusion is controlled by membrane potential, as this is the means of transmission along an axon. On the action potential reaching the pre-synaptic terminal, calcium ions influx into the terminal, causing vesicles containing the neurotransmitter (acetylcholine, epinephrine, 5-HT, …) fuse to the membrane, releasing their contents into the synaptic cleft. The neurotransmitter then diffuses across the cleft, binding to a complementary receptor on the post-synaptic neuron. This receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel, allowing the influx of ions and the formation of a new action potential. This process allows summation of neuronal responses, where multiple action potentials converge. This allows the initiation of an action potential in a neuron with a higher threshold value, and is present in the rod cells of eye (allowing vision in low-light conditions).