The influence of melatonin on the developmental pattern of functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors was investigated in embryonic 8-day-old chick retinal cells in culture. The functional response to acetylcholine was measured in cultured retina cells by microphysiometry. The maximal functional response to acetylcholine increased 2.7 times between the 4th and 5th day in vitro (DIV4, DIV5), w...

Organophoshorous poisoning is a common cause of death in developing countries. These compounds inhibit acetylcholinesterase leading to accumulation acetylcholine, causing overstimulation nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. Atropine oximes are the mainstay treatment. helps countering effects decreasing secretions. It also makes secretions thick, tenacious may obstruct airway. We observed five ca...

Phospholipases A2 represent the most abundant family of snake venom proteins. They manifest an array of biological activities, which is constantly expanding. We have recently shown that a protein bitanarin, isolated from the venom of the puff adder Bitis arietans and possessing high phospholipolytic activity, interacts with different types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and with the acety...

One immunological component of asthma is believed to be the interaction of eosinophils with parasympathetic cholinergic nerves and a consequent inhibition of acetylcholine muscarinic M2 receptor activity, leading to enhanced acetylcholine release and bronchoconstriction. Here we have used an in vitro model of cholinergic nerve function, the human IMR32 cell line, to study this interaction. IMR3...

Evidence is presented that while the conformations of acetylcholine and acetylthiolcholine are different, acetylthiolcholine and acetylselenolcholine are structurally and conformationally very similar. Experiments with sulfur and selenium isologs of acetylcholine, choline, and local anesthetics suggest that the active sites of receptors of the electroplax and of electric eel acetylcholinesteras...

Competitive antagonists to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are clinically used as muscle relaxants. Previously, we reported the kinetics of inhibition (in the absence of acetylcholine) by (+)-tubocurarine and pancuronium on embryonic receptors. Here, we examine cisatracurium, a commonly used muscle relaxant. Outside-out patches were equilibrated with cisatracurium before application of 300 mi...

Nerve and muscle cells from clonal lines interact in vitro, resulting in the association on the muscle surface of an area of increased acetylcholine sensitivity with a site of nerve-muscle contact. This localization of acetylcholine sensitivity on the muscle cell to a site of contact between nerve and muscle was found to occur when acetylcholine receptors on the muscle had been blocked with alp...

The dorsal striatum participates in motor function and stimulus-response or "habit" learning. Acetylcholine (ACh) is a prominent neurotransmitter in the striatum and exerts part of its actions through nicotinic cholinergic receptors. Activation of these receptors has been associated with the enhancement of learning and certainly is instrumental in habitual use of nicotine. Nicotinic receptors h...

Loss of connections between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers contribute to motor impairment in old age, but the sequence of age-associated changes that precede loss of the neuromuscular synapse remains uncertain. Here we determine changes in the size of neuromuscular synapses within the tibialis anterior muscle across the life span of C57BL/6J mice. Immunofluorescence, confocal microsco...