Description of the events of synaptic transmission. The action potential moves along the axon (previous video) until it reaches the synapse, which it cannot cross. Depolarisation at the synapse causes opening of Calcium channels. Influx of calcium causes vesicles (which contain acetylcholine) in the presynaptic neurone to fuse with the presynaptic membrane and release the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft. Acetylcholine diffuses across the synaptic cleft and bind to complementary ligand-gated sodium channels on the post-synaptic membrane. This causes them to open and results in an influx of sodium ions into the post-synaptic neurone, initiating an action potential which moves that neurone.

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