Acetylcholine Receptors on the Cell Body Membrane of Giant Interneurone 2 in the Cockroach, Periplaneta Americana

Abstract

Ionophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) onto the cell body membrane of an identified giant interneurone (GI2) in the central nervous system of the cockroach Periplaneta americana induced a depolarizing response at resting potential which was attributed to a population of extrasynaptic ACh receptors. 2. The sensitivity of the cell body membrane of GI 2 to ionophoresis of ACh was determined. 3. Perfusion of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶M neostigmine, an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, potentiated the ACh sensitivity of the cell body membrane of GI2. This indicated that a high acetylcholinesterase activity was present in the periphery of the sixth abdominal ganglion (A6). 4. The nicotinic antagonist, α-bungarotoxin (at a concentration of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷M) was found to block the ACh response of the cell body membrane of GI2. By contrast, the muscarinic antagonist, quinuclidinyl benzilate, (at concentrations up to 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ M) had no detectable effect on the ACh response. 5. It is suggested that an extrasynaptic nicotinic type of ACh receptor is present on the cell body membrane of GI2.