The point where a motor nerve joins muscle fibre.
Area of contact between a nerve fiber and the muscle it supplies. A neurotransmitter passes across the small gap (synapse) between the motor end plate of the motor nerve and the muscle, triggering contraction of the muscle. Also called myoneural junction.
The meeting point of a nerve fiber and the muscle fiber that it supplies. Between the enlarged end of the nerve fiber (the motor end-plate) and the membrane of the muscle is a gap across which a ‘neurotransmitter ‘ must diffuse from the nerve to trigger contraction of the muscle.
The area where a motor nerve ends close to the muscle membrane so can initiate muscle contraction. The motor-nerve ending is separated from the motor end plate by the synaptic cleft which is only 50-70 nm wide. When a nerve impulse arrives at the motor-nerve ending, molecules of acetylcholine are released which cross the synaptic cleft and attach to receptors on the motor end plate. This initiates depolarization of the muscle, which in turn initiates the process of contraction. Acetylcholinesterase (an enzyme) rapidly breaks, down the molecules of acetylcholine, thus ending their action and freeing the receptor in preparation for the next impulse.
The location where nerve impulses are conveyed to muscles, facilitating their activation.