Calcium is a primary second messenger in all cells that functions in processes ranging from cellular proliferation to synaptic transmission. Proper regulation of calcium is achieved through numerous mechanisms involving channels, sensors, and buffers notably containing one or more EF-hand calcium binding domains. The Drosophila genome encodes only a single 6 EF-hand domain containing protein, C...

Gentamicin in concentrations of 0.05--0.2 mmol litre-1 blocked neuromuscular transmission in the toad sartorius nerve--muscle preparation by decreasing the release of transmitter. In concetnrations of 0.5--1 mmol litre-1 it decreased the amplitude of the miniature end-plate current by a curare-like action, without affecting the mean open channel lifetime.

Sydney Brenner promoted Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, and subsequent investigations pursued resistance to the nicotinic anthelmintic drug levamisole in C. elegans at a genetic level. These studies have advanced our understanding of genes associated with neuromuscular transmission and resistance to the antinematodal drug. In lev-8 and lev-1 mutant C. elegans, levamisole resistance ...

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is arguably the best understood autoimmune disease, and its study has also led to fundamental appreciation of mechanisms of neuromuscular transmission. MG is caused by antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), which produce a compromise in the end-plate potential, reducing the safety factor for effective synaptic transmission. It is clear that AChR antibody de...

Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) form a heterogeneous group of rare diseases characterized by fatigable muscle weakness. They are genetically-inherited and caused by defective synaptic transmission at the cholinergic neuromuscular junction (NMJ). The number of genes known to cause CMS when mutated is currently 30, and the relationship between fatigable muscle weakness and defective functio...

We describe a sero-negative ocular myasthenic patient who showed exaggerated responses to both vecuronium and neostigmine. These hypersensitive responses were not anticipated because preoperative clinical and laboratory evaluations suggested a negligible impairment of somatic muscles by myasthenic processes. This case report re-emphasizes that, if neuromuscular blocking agents and their antagon...

When one considers the many types of chemical compound used in modern therapeutics, it is not surprising that some of these modify the action of muscle relaxants. In general such substances may interfere with neuromuscular transmission, or may influence relaxants by actions at other sites. Some such side effects are well known. Others, based on animal experiments on many different species and u...

Spontaneous and evoked release of transmitter at neuromuscular junctions in three different leg muscles of a tarantula (Dugesiella hentzi) was investigated. In most cases the spontaneous miniature potentials were released independently, although bursts from single synaptic junctions occasionally occurred. In contrast to recent findings in other arthropod muscles, focal extracellular recording f...

The interactions between tubocurarine, pancuronium and alcuronium on neuromuscular transmission have been studied in an isolated neuromuscular preparation (the rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm). Mixtures of tubocurarine and pancuronium, and tubocurarine and alcuronium were found to have a more potent effect than the additive effects of the individual agents when given alone, that is, mixtures we...

Transmission of signals from nerves to muscles is critical for life, so substantial safety factor mechanisms have evolved to ensure its success. Despite this, diseases can impair even this robust system. Characterizing these disease mechanisms greatly contributes to understanding this fundamental process. Neuromuscular transmission serves as a model for helping to understand neurotransmission t...