Zurn A D, Fulpius B W
Clin Exp Immunol. 1976 Apr;24(1):9-17.
Antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor are present in the serum of myasthenic patients but one does not know if, in vivo and in situ, they can penetrate the intact neuromuscular junction and block directly the receptor. The present experiments demonstrate that molecules the size of antibodies can reach acetylcholine receptor in situ. The mouse diaphragm with its intact neuromuscular junction was used as a source of acetylcholine receptor. The receptor was revealed either directly by iodinated alpha-bungarotoxin covalently coupled to IgG or indirectly, once labelled with cobra toxin, by iodinated anti-cobra toxin antibodies.
重症肌无力患者血清中存在乙酰胆碱受体抗体，但尚不清楚在体内和原位条件下，这些抗体能否穿透完整的神经肌肉接头并直接阻断受体。目前的实验表明，抗体大小的分子能够在原位到达乙酰胆碱受体。具有完整神经肌肉接头的小鼠膈肌被用作乙酰胆碱受体的来源。受体可以通过与IgG共价偶联的碘化α-银环蛇毒素直接显示，或者在用眼镜蛇毒素标记后，通过碘化抗眼镜蛇毒素抗体间接显示。
