| Author/Editor | Jevšek, Marko | |
| Title | Molekularni mehanizmi vzpostavljanja živčnomišičnega stika pri sesalcu | |
| Translated title | Molecular mechanism of neuromuscular junction formation in mammals | |
| Type | monografija | |
| Place | Ljubljana | |
| Publisher | Medicinska fakulteta | |
| Publication year | 2005 | |
| Volume | str. 90 | |
| Language | slo | |
| Abstract | Introduction and aim: Synaptic communication is at the very essence of the function of the nervous system. Mechanisms underlying formation, differentiation and function of synapses are therefore one of the major research fields in modern neurobiology. Due to its experimental accessibility neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is considered a model synapse and virtually all of our current understanding of synaptogenesis derives from studies on this particular synapse. Especially suitable for synaptogenetic studies are the experimental models enabling good control of the experimental condition and at the same time the insight into all stages of the synapse formation. One such model is the in vitro system in which human myotubes are innervated by neurons originating from the embryonic spinal cord explants. In most applications, explants were isolated from the rat spinal cord, however introduction of the knock-out strategy opened the possibility that spinal cord isolated from knock-out mice is used in this system to study the role of selected genes and their products in the synaptogenesis of the NMJ. Thus, the first part of our study was directed into modification of the described in vitro system in a way that mouse spinal cord is used for the innervation of human myotubes instead of rat's. The second and third part of our study was oriented to the molecular mechanisms underlying NMJ formation. In the second part we investigated mechanisms regulating acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7.) expression and targeting at the time of NMJ formation. Although the function of AChE is well established (hydrolyzing acetylcholine it terminates signal transmission in the NMJ) its origin is not. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters) | |
| Descriptors | NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION MUSCLES SPINAL CORD COCULTURE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION BLOTTING, WESTERN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION |