What occurs during the process of synaptic transmission?

During synaptic transmission, the correct process involves the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. This occurs when an action potential reaches the end of an axon, prompting voltage-gated calcium channels to open. The influx of calcium ions signals synaptic vesicles to fuse with the presynaptic membrane, leading to the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. These neurotransmitters then travel across the synaptic gap and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane, facilitating communication between neurons.

The options involving the release of hormones into the bloodstream, binding of neurotransmitters to muscle receptors, and absorption of signals in the cell body do not accurately describe the primary event of synaptic transmission. The focus of synaptic transmission is specifically on the interaction between neurons at the synapse, making the release of neurotransmitters the central event in this process.