Reversal Potential & Acetylcholine Receptor: How Action Potentials Occur at NMJ

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The reversal potential at the neuromuscular junction is approximately 0mV, indicating that at this voltage, there is no net ion flux through the acetylcholine receptor channels. Each ion channel has a unique reversal potential determined by the specific ions it allows to pass and their respective electrochemical gradients. When acetylcholine binds to its receptors, it causes a depolarization of the muscle cell membrane. If this depolarization reaches a certain threshold, it triggers the opening of voltage-gated sodium channels, leading to the generation of an action potential. This process is similar to action potential generation in other neurons, where the propagation of the signal occurs along the membrane following the initial depolarization.
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the reversal potential is about 0mV, so how does opening the acetylcholine receptor at neuromuscular junctions cause action potentials to occur?
 
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Reversal potential is the name give for a specific channel at which point no NET current (ion flux) will occur. Each protein channel will have different reversal potentials based the ions in the environment, the ions "allowed" to pass through the channel, the electrochemical gradients for each of the ions.

The reason an action potential occurs is similar to that of other neurons. There will be a threshold membrane voltage that will lead to opening of sodium channels and this will propagate down the membrane.
 

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