In the lock-and-key model of synaptic transmission, the "key" gets to the "lock" by __________.
A) removal of synaptic vesicles
B) rapid conduction down to the axon
C) weak attractive forces of the lock
D) diffusion across the synaptic gap

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the lock-and-key model, the neurotransmitter molecule (the "key") crosses the synaptic gap by diffusion to reach the receptor protein (the "lock") on the postsynaptic neuron. The other options (removal of synaptic vesicles, rapid conduction down to the axon, weak attractive forces of the lock) do not accurately describe the process by which neurotransmitters bind to receptors during synaptic transmission.

In the Lock-And-Key Model of Synaptic Transmission, the "Key" Gets