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Release of acetylcholine from embryonic myocytes in Xenopus cell cultures

Wen-Mei Fu, Houng-Chi Liou, Yu-Hwa Chen and Seu-Mei Wang *

1. Acetylcholine (ACh) is important as the transmitter responsible for neuromuscular transmission. Here we report the non-quantal release of ACh from embryonic myocytes.

2. Co-cultures of spinal neurons and myotomal muscle cells were prepared from 1-day-old Xenopus embryos. Single channel currents were recorded in the non-innervated myocytes. When the patch pipette was filled with Ringer solution alone, spontaneous single channel currents occurred, which were inhibited by d-tubocurarine (d-Tc).

3. The channel conductance appearing in Ringer solution (37·3 pS) was similar to that of an embryonic-type ACh channel (36·9 pS), indicating that ACh is probably released from myocytes in normal Ringer solution.

4. When the patch pipette was filled with anticholinesterase alone to prevent hydrolysis of ACh released from myocytes, both physostigmine and neostigmine in a concentration-dependent manner increased channel open probability; it was reduced by d-Tc or -bungarotoxin.

5. Vesamicol and quinacrine, vesicular transporter inhibitors, reduced the channel open probability caused by ACh released from myocytes in the presence of neostigmine or physostigmine.

6. Intracellular alkalinization with NH₄Cl inhibited the ACh release from myocytes, whereas, extracellular alkalinization, brought about by replacing normal Ringer solution, with pH 8·6 Ringer solution enhanced ACh release.

7. The immunocytochemistry of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) showed that ChAT exists in both myocytes and neuronal cells but not in fibroblasts.

8. These results suggest that embryonic myocytes are capable of synthesizing and releasing ACh in a non-quantal manner. Extracellular alkalinization enhanced and intracellular alkalinization inhibited ACh release from myocytes.