Pattern of acetylcholine receptor activity during regeneration of free muscle transplants of rats.

Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) activities were followed in regenerating muscle grafts of rats. The effects of prior nerve crush or treatment with Marcaine on alpha-Bungarotoxin binding in graft muscle extracts were compared to nontreated controls. All treatment groups displayed a similar but characteristic pattern in which minor differences in the time course and absolute levels of AChR activities were observed. These results are interpreted in terms of possible alterations in AChR levels brought about by the changes in the degree of graft innervation.