Dolichos biflorus agglutinin receptors in mouse muscle. I. Developmental expression in relation to synaptic acetylcholinesterase and to neuromuscular disease.
The lectin (agglutinin) from Dolichos biflorus (DBA) binds selectively to the neuromuscular junction of different vertebrate species. We have examined the synaptic DBA receptors in skeletal muscle during postnatal development and in neuromuscular diseases of the mouse. No DBA binding was found at neuromuscular junctions of muscles from newborn mice, when acetylcholine receptors and acetylcholinesterases were already concentrated at the endplate. Synaptic accumulation of DBA receptors was evident 4 days after birth, and the staining intensity increased until postnatal day 10 to 12 when it reached the adult level. As shown by ultrastructural histochemistry, accessible DBA binding sites were confined to the crests of junctional folds in motor endplates of 4-day-old mice, whereas adult endplates exhibited DBA binding sites in the entire synaptic cleft including the junctional folds. Two neuromuscular hereditary diseases of the mouse, 'wobbler' (WR) and 'motor endplate disease' (MED) were examined. At the light microscopic level, DBA binding was normal in WR and MED endplates. At the ultrastructural level, MED synapses showed reduced junctional folds but unaffected DBA binding capacity.
Kaupmann
K
K
Developmental Biology Unit, University of Bielefeld/Federal Republic of Germany.
Heimann
P
P
Jockusch
H
H
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D024510:Muscle Development; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000378:metabolism*
D002038:Bungarotoxins; C027654:Dolichos biflorus lectin receptor; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase