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The Molecular Biology of Acetylcholine Receptors from the Vertebrate Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems

  • Conference paper
Molecular Aspects of Neurobiology

Part of the book series: Proceedings in Life Sciences ((LIFE SCIENCES))

Abstract

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) mediate chemical communication at synapses in many parts of the vertebrate nervous system, including neuromuscular junctions, autonomic ganglia, and certain sites in the brain. This occurs through the interaction of neuronally-released acetylcholine (ACh) with recognition sites on the AChR in the postsynaptic membrane. ACh binding activates a gated cation channel and results in a transient change in the permeability of the membrane, which can be measured as a depolarisation of the transmembrane electrical potential. This has been directly demonstrated for the best characterised AChR, that from the electroplax of Torpedo sp. or Electrophorus sp. The Torpedo electric organ is a rich source of AChR protein and mRNA, and studies on this model system have contributed crucially to our understanding of AChR structure and function. An extensive review literature is available (Karlin 1980; Conti-Tronconi and Raftery 1982;Kistler et al. 1982; Dolly and Barnard 1984; Popot and Changeux 1984).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    J. F. Jackson, D. M. W. Beeson, V. B. Cockcroft, M. G. Darlison & E. A. Barnard

  2. Searle Research and Development, PO Box 53, Lane End Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 4HL, UK

    D. M. W. Beeson & L. D. Bell

  3. Division of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    B. M. Conti-Tronconi

Authors
  1. J. F. Jackson
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  2. D. M. W. Beeson
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  3. V. B. Cockcroft
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  4. M. G. Darlison
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  5. B. M. Conti-Tronconi
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  6. L. D. Bell
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  7. E. A. Barnard
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Cell Biology, CNR, Via Romagnosi 18/A, I-00196, Rome, Italy

    Rita Levi Montalcini  & Pietro Calissano  & 

  2. Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 722 West 168th Street, 10032, New York, NY, USA

    Eric Richard Kandel

  3. Institute of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy, University of Milano, Piazza Durante 11, I-20131, Milano, Italy

    Adriana Maggi

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Jackson, J.F. et al. (1986). The Molecular Biology of Acetylcholine Receptors from the Vertebrate Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems. In: Montalcini, R.L., Calissano, P., Kandel, E.R., Maggi, A. (eds) Molecular Aspects of Neurobiology. Proceedings in Life Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70690-5_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70690-5_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-70692-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-70690-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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