Aggregation of acetylcholine receptors in nerve-muscle cocultures is decreased by inhibitors of collagen production.

Coculturing of rat embryonic muscle cells with spinal cord explants resulted in the formation of large numbers of acetylcholine receptor aggregates on the myotube surface, compared to those found on muscle cells grown in the absence of nervous tissue. Remarkably fewer receptor aggregates were formed when, upon addition of nerve explants, these cocultures were treated with either cis-hydroxyproline (a specific inhibitor of collagen production) or collagenase. The possibility is raised that collagen participates in the aggregation of acetylcholine receptors and in synapse formation.