title: Acetylcholine receptor protein. Neuromuscular transmission in immunized rabbits.
abstract: Rabbits injected with purified acetylcholine (ACh) receptor protein produce antibodies against the receptor and develop generalized muscle weakness. The compound muscle action potentials show a decremental fall in amplitude with repetitive nerve stimulation. Both the weakness and the decrement is counteracted by reversible cholinesterase inhibitors. Intracellular recordings from muscle endplates show that the amplitude of the miniature end-plate potentials is considerably reduced. A reduced binding of neurotoxin to muscles from immunized rabbits was observed. Nerve impulses release a normal number of ACh packages (quanta) from the motor nerve terminals. The muscle weakness in immunized rabbits thus has the same features as the muscle weakness in myasthenia gravis and may be a good animal model of myasthenia gravis.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine; D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000187:drug effects; D009132:Muscles / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D000109:Acetylcholine