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Distribution of acetylcholine-sensitivity in frog slow muscle fibres

  • Excitable Tissues and Central Nervous Physiology
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Abstract

  1. 1)

    The distribution of acetylcholine-sensitive membrane areas in slow muscle fibres of pyriformis muscles of Rana temporaria was examined by iontophoretic application of acetylcholine from high resistance pipettes.

  2. 2)

    ACh-sensitivity varied considerably along individual slow fibres and from fibre to fibre. In some fibres the sensitivity was restricted to segments of less than 100 μm, in others it was continuous over several millimeter. Segments of variable length, but up to several millimeter, were completely insensitive to acetylcholine. Highly sensitive spots (>1,000 mV/nC) were found occasionally, their diameter being of the order of 10–20 μm only. The occurrence at rather regular intervals of ACh-sensitive areas was a rare observation; no evidence was found for a generalized ACh-sensitivity.

  3. 3)

    There were marked differences in the lengths of ACh-sensitive segments between surface fibres and fibres located in deeper layers of the muscles.

  4. 4)

    It is concluded that the ACh-sensitive membrane areas correspond to individual nerve muscle contacts of the small motor system whose spatial distribution is extremely variable. In superficial slow fibres the synaptic contacts seem to be located predominantly on the internal circumference of the fibres.

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Author notes

  1. J. Lehouelleur

    Present address: Laboratoire de Neurobiologie, Université de Picardie, Amiens Cedex, France

  2. J. Noireaud

    Present address: Laboratoire de Physiologie Générale, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Université de Nantes, Nantes Cedex

Authors and Affiliations

  1. I. Physiologisches Institut, Universität des Saarlandes, D-6650, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    J. Lehouelleur, J. Noireaud & H. Schmidt

Authors
  1. J. Lehouelleur
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  2. J. Noireaud
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  3. H. Schmidt
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Lehouelleur, J., Noireaud, J. & Schmidt, H. Distribution of acetylcholine-sensitivity in frog slow muscle fibres. Pflugers Arch. 397, 300–305 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00580265

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00580265

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