Morphological variability is greater at developing than mature mouse neuromuscular junctions.
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the highly specialised peripheral synapse formed between lower motor neuron terminals and muscle fibres. Post-synaptic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), which are found in high density in the muscle membrane, bind to acetylcholine released into the synaptic cleft of the NMJ, thereby enabling the conversion of motor action potentials to muscle contractions. NMJs have been studied for many years as a general model for synapse formation, development and function, and are known to be early sites of pathological changes in many neuromuscular diseases. However, information is limited on the diversity of NMJs in different muscles, how synaptic morphology changes during development, and the relevance of these parameters to neuropathology. Here, this crucial gap was addressed using a robust and standardised semi-automated workflow called NMJ-morph to quantify features of pre- and post-synaptic NMJ architecture in an unbiased manner. Five wholemount muscles from wild-type mice were dissected and compared at immature (post-natal day, P7) and early adult (P31-32) timepoints. The inter-muscular variability was greater in mature post-synaptic AChR morphology than that of the pre-synaptic motor neuron termin...Continue Reading
References
Regional differences in the timing of synapse elimination in skeletal muscles of the neonatal rabbit
Citations
Running and Swimming Differently Adapt the BDNF/TrkB Pathway to a Slow Molecular Pattern at the NMJ.
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