Popis: |
Immunocytochemical analysis of the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) subunits in the chick ciliary ganglion showed that virtually all cells in the ganglion express detectable levels of AChR-like immunoreactivity (LI) corresponding to the α3 and/or α5 subunit, the α7 subunit, the β2 subunit, and the β4 subunit. Surface staining of subunit-specific monoclonal antibodies showed that a receptor containing α3- and/or α5-LI is located preferentially at synaptic sites, while a receptor containing α7-LI was located extrasynaptically. The existence of two distinct patterns of cell surface staining with antiAChR mAbs implies the existence of multiple classes of functional AChRs on ciliary ganglion neurons (1). |