Excitation-contraction coupling is a series of events that occur after the events of the neuromuscular junction have transpired. The term excitation refers to which step in the process? A) Excitation refers to the release of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. B) Excitation refers to the shape change that occurs in voltage-sensitive proteins in the C) Excitation, in this case, refers to the propagation of action potentials along the sarcolemma. D) Excitation refers to the propagation of action potentials along the axon of a motor neuron.