Which part releases neurotransmitters to the next cell?

• A. Axon
• B. Dendrites
• C. Soma
• D. Axon Terminal

Answer: (D)

Neurotransmitter release happens at the end of the neuron where the axon terminals sit beside the next cell at the synapse. When an action potential reaches the terminal, voltage-gated calcium channels open and Ca2+ rushes in. This calcium signal triggers synaptic vesicles, which carry neurotransmitters, to fuse with the presynaptic membrane and release their contents into the synaptic cleft. The released molecules then bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, initiating a response in that cell. The axon’s role is to carry the electrical impulse along, while dendrites and the soma are primarily involved in receiving and integrating signals, not releasing neurotransmitters.