Induction of extrajunctional acetylcholine sensitivity of rat EDL muscle by peptidic component of peripheral nerve.

The induction of extrajunctional ACh-sensitivity was studied electrophysiologically 4 days after implantation of segments of the sciatic nerve, segments of dorsal and ventral spinal roots and silastic plates, containing some components of peripheral nerve onto surface fibres of innervated rat extensor digitorum longus muscle. It has been found that extrajunctional ACh-sensitivity can be induced by a piece of rat sciatic nerve and by peptidic material of about 8,000 and 10,000 mol. wt. No sensitivity was induced by segments of ventral and dorsal roots, by a piece of rabbit sciatic nerve and by rat sciatic nerve sectioned 7 days prior to implantation. The active nerve fractions lost its inducing potency after pepsin pre-treatment and irradiation with UV-light. Peripheral nerve probably contains some specific factor, peptidic in nature, which is able to induce the ACh-sensitivity of muscle fibre membrane.