Development of sensitivity to acetylcholine in cultured chick embryo sympathetic ganglion neurones.

Dissociated sympathetic neurones from chick embryos of various ages were maintained in culture for several days and changes in sensitivity to iontophoretically applied acetylcholine (ACh) measured over 5 days in vitro. Neurones from 12-day embryos show a marked increase in ACh sensitivity, neurons from 14-day embryos a smaller change and those from 19-day embryos do not alter. These changes parallel those observed previously for binding of [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin.