[Immunologic aspects of disorders of neuromuscular transmission. 2. Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis and the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome].

This paper describes two condition caused by disfunction of neuromuscular transport: experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). EAMG can be caused by immunization with acetylcholine receptors (AChR). As in myasthenia gravis, anti-AChR antibodies reduce the number of these receptors, which impedes normal neuromuscular transmission. LEMS patients have normal AChR function: however there is a disfunction of acetylcholine release from the presynaptic terminals. This is due to the formation of antibodies against the voltage gated calcium channels on the presynaptic nerve terminals.