The rabbit cornea lacks cholinergic receptors.

Cholinergic receptors were studied in membranes prepared from rabbit cornea, iris-ciliary body, and retina, using 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate (3H-QNB) to identify muscarinic receptors and 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin (125I-BGT) to identify nicotinic receptors. Muscarinic cholinergic receptors were not found in the cornea. As a positive control, muscarinic cholinergic receptors were characterized in preparations of the iris-ciliary body. Specific binding of 3H-QNB to iris-ciliary body membrane preparations was saturable, with a Kd of 1.3 nM QNB. Specificity of the assay for muscarinic receptors was confirmed by the relative abilities of the following compounds to displace 3H-QNB: atropine greater than pilocarpine greater than hexamethonium. Nicotinic cholinergic receptors were not found in the cornea. As a positive control, nicotinic cholinergic receptors were characterized in preparations of the retina. Specific binding of 1252-BGT to retinal membrane preparations was saturable with both high and low affinity receptors (Kd values of 1.0 nM and 93 nM BGT, respectively). Specificity of the assay for nicotinic receptors was confirmed by the relative abilities of the following compounds to prevent 125I-BGT binding: curare greater than or equal to nicotine greater than hexamethonium greater than atropine. The lack of cholinergic receptors in the cornea, which has high levels of acetylcholine and related enzymes, suggests either an extraordinary use or a lack of function for acetylcholine in this tissue.