Semiquantitative Measurement of Acetylcholine Receptor at the Motor End-plate in Myasthenia Gravis.

Acetylcholine receptors and end-plate electrophysiology in myasthenia gravis.

and 'Immunological associations of acquired neuromyotonia (Isaacs' syndrome). Report of five cases and literature review'. John Newsom-Davis published 12 original articles in Brain. Many dealt with autoimmunity in disorders of the neuromuscular junction or peripheral nerve. Together this work provided a foundation for knowledge on disorders resulting from autoantibodies directed at the acetylch...

Deficiencies in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody measurement in myasthenia gravis.

In a retrospective case note study of 86 patients with myasthenia gravis, 60 had an anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody assay performed by the regional immunology laboratory. Antibody was detected in 38% which compares with 66-93% in other series. Whilst the use of staphylococcal protein A to precipitate the antibody-receptor complex, rather than anti-human immunoglobulin, may be partly respon...

Motor End-Plate Fine Structure of Red and White Muscles in Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis

SUMMARY Neuromuscular junction ultrastructure in rat forelimb digit extensor muscle (FDE), extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus (SOL) was quantitatively investigated in experimental autoim-mune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). Experimental animals were immunized with highly purified Narke Japonica acetylcholine receptor protein plus complete Freund's adjuvant and B. pertussis vaccine : control a...

Mechanisms of acetylcholine receptor loss in myasthenia gravis.

The fundamental abnormality affecting the neuromuscular junctions of myasthenic patients is a reduction of available AChRs, due to an autoimmune attack directed against the receptors. Antibodies to AChR are present in most patients, and there is evidence that they have a predominant pathogenic role in the disease, aided by complement. The mechanism of antibody action involves acceleration of th...

Myasthenia gravis: acetylcholine-receptor antibody titres after thymectomy.