The in vivo degradation of endplate acetylcholine receptors was investigated in mice treated daily with IgG from 10 myasthenia gravis patients. Four preparations increased the rate of degradation. The number of endplate acetylcholine receptors after 7 days of IgG treatment was greater than that predicted on the basis of the increased degradation rate, suggesting a compensatory increase in recep...

Nicotine, the primary addictive constituent of cigarettes, is believed to contribute to cancer promotion and progression through the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), which are membrane ligand-gated cation channels. nAChRs activation can be triggered by the neurotransmitter Ach, or certain other biological compounds, such as nicotine. In recent years, genome-wide associa...

in this study, effects of buthus eupeus venom on chick biventer cervices nerve-muscle preparation were investigated by twitch tension method. the venom, at 1.3 ?g/ml, increased contractile responses in indirect stimulations. these effects were milder in direct muscle stimulations. it also caused significant enhancement in postjunctional sensitivity as assessed by responses to exogenous acetylch...

The role of acetylcholine receptors in the control of chick myoblast fusion in culture has been explored. Spontaneous fusion of myoblasts was inhibited by the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists alpha-bungarotoxin, Naja naja toxin and monoclonal antibody mcAb 5.5. The muscarinic antagonists QNB and n-methyl scopolamine were without effect. Atropine had no effect below 1 microM, where i...