| Term: | primary motor neuron neuromuscular junction |
|---|---|
| Note: | This page represents a term created by the combination ("post-composition") of two ontology terms. For more information on the individual terms, click the hyperlinked name. |
| Name: | primary motor neuron |
|---|---|
| Synonyms: | primary motoneuron |
| Definition: | Motor neurons that arise during the first day of development. Primary motoneurons have larger diameter cell bodies and axons than secondary motoneurons and are positioned more dorsally and medially than secondary motoneurons. Primary motoneurons are present in a single bilateral pair of clusters in each spinal segment and innervate axial muscle fibers in the corresponding pair of myotomes. Axons make a conspicuous loop around the Mauthner axon before entering the ventral root. |
| Ontology: | Anatomy Ontology [ZFA:0009244] |
| Name: | neuromuscular junction |
|---|---|
| Synonyms: | motor endplate, NMJ |
| Definition: | The junction between the axon of a motor neuron and a muscle fiber. In response to the arrival of action potentials, the presynaptic button releases molecules of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. These diffuse across the cleft and transmit the signal to the postsynaptic membrane of the muscle fiber, leading to a change in post-synaptic potential. |
| Ontology: | GO: Cellular Component [GO:0031594] QuickGO AmiGO |