Trophic regulation of acetylcholine sensitivity of muscle: effect of electrical stimulation.

Denervation of skeletal muscle results in a spread of acetylcholine sensitivity over the entire surface membrane. Electrical stimulation, programmed to mimic the normal activity pattern, was applied continuously to the denervated rat diaphragm in vivo. After 4 days, the acetylcholine sensitivity was far less in the stimulated diaphragms than in denervated controls. Muscle activity may account for "neurotrophic" regulation of the acetylcholine sensitivity.