Katarina Miš (Author), Zoran Grubič (Author), Paola Lorenzon (Author), Marina Sciancalepore (Author), Tomaž Marš (Author), Sergej Pirkmajer (Author)

Abstract

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and agrin, a heparan-sulfate proteoglycan, reside in the basal lamina of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and play key roles in cholinergic transmission and synaptogenesis. Unlike most NMJ components, AChE and agrin are expressed in skeletal muscle and [alpha]-motor neurons. AChE and agrin are also expressed in various other types of cells, where they have important alternative functions that are not related to their classical roles in NMJ. In this review, we first focus on co-cultures of embryonic rat spinal cord explants with human skeletal muscle cells as an experimental model to study functional innervation in vitro. We describe how this heterologous rat-human model, which enables experimentation on highly developed contracting human myotubes, offers unique opportunities for AChE and agrin research. We then highlight innovative approaches that were used to address salient questions regarding expression and alternative functions of AChE and agrin in developing human skeletal muscle. Results obtained in co-cultures are compared with those obtained in other models in the context of general advances in the field of AChE and agrin neurobiology.

Keywords

acetylcholinesterase;human muscle;apoptosis;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
Organization: UL MF - Faculty of Medicine
UDC: 616-092
COBISS: 33379545 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 1420-3049
Views: 258
Downloads: 59
Average score: 0 (0 votes)
Metadata: JSON JSON-RDF JSON-LD TURTLE N-TRIPLES XML RDFA MICRODATA DC-XML DC-RDF RDF

Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary keywords: acetilholinesteraza;človeška mišica;apoptoza;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 1-30
Volume: ǂVol. ǂ22
Issue: ǂiss. ǂ9
Chronology: 2017
DOI: 10.3390/molecules22091418
ID: 13505855