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miniature end plate potential

(Science: physiology) small fluctuations (typically 0.5 mV) in the resting potential of postsynaptic cells.

They are the same shape as, but much smaller than, the end plate potentials caused by stimulation of the presynaptic cell. Miniature end plate potentials are considered as evidence for the quantal release of neurotransmitters at chemical synapses, a single miniature end plate potential resulting from the release of the contents of a single synaptic vesicle.