Spatio-temporal concentration of acetylcholine in vertebrate synaptic cleft

The concentration of acetylcholine (ACh) in the synaptic cleft at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) remains impossible to quantify using direct measurements based upon spatio-temporal resolution. We present a model of the concentration of ACh in the synaptic cleft. Our model considers the release mechanism and the clearance process, represented by the hydrolysis of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the rate of diffusion across the cleft and binding to nicotinic ACh receptor channels. Using our model, we evaluate the contribution of these factors and their relative importance in determining the spatial distribution of neurotransmitter concentration in the neuromuscular junction. c © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.