Electrical exploration of acetylcholine receptors.

A short account is given of the author's work on the neuromuscular junction, starting with the intracellular recording of spontaneous miniature endplate potentials and its simulation with a local microinjection of acetylcholine. The nature of quantal transmitter delivery and the molecular components of miniature endplate potentials are described as well as the effects of physical and chemical agents on the kinetics and the opentime of the channels of the endplate. The study of a variety of drugs has led to important advances in the electrical exploration of drug receptors and promises to shed new light on their mechanism of action and on the behaviour of cell membranes.