The mechanism of agrin-induced acetylcholine receptor aggregation.
Agrin, a protein isolated from the synapse-rich electric organ of Torpedo californica, induces the formation of specializations on myotubes in culture which resemble the post-synaptic apparatus at the vertebrate skeletal neuromuscular junction. For example, the specializations contain aggregates of acetylcholine receptors and acetylcholinesterase. This report summarizes the evidence that the formation of the post-synaptic apparatus at developing and regenerating neuromuscular junctions is triggered by the release of agrin from motor axon terminals and describes results of recent experiments which suggest that agrin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the beta subunit of the acetylcholine receptor may play a role in receptor aggregation.
Wallace
B G
BG
Department of Physiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver 80262.
D018171:Agrin; D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism
D018171:Agrin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases