Describe the process of synaptic transmission.

Synaptic transmission is a crucial process in the nervous system that allows communication between neurons. It specifically involves the release of neurotransmitters across the synapse, which is the small gap between neighboring neurons. When an electrical impulse, known as an action potential, reaches the end of a neuron (the presynaptic neuron), it triggers the opening of voltage-gated calcium channels. Calcium ions then flow into the neuron, prompting synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters to move to the presynaptic membrane and release their contents into the synaptic cleft.

Once released, these neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to specific receptors on the surface of the postsynaptic neuron. This binding can cause various effects, such as the initiation of a new action potential in the postsynaptic neuron or the modulation of its activity. This intricate process is essential for the transmission of signals throughout the nervous system and influences everything from reflex actions to complex cognitive functions.

The other options describe processes that are not directly related to synaptic transmission. The movement of muscles involves neuromuscular transmission but does not pertain to the general mechanism of synaptic transmission among neurons. Absorption of nutrients is a function of the digestive system and unrelated to neural