Differential regulation of muscle acetylcholine receptor γ‐and ϵ‐subunit mRNAs

Abstract

The contents of the mRNAs encoding the γ‐ and ϵ‐subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor as well as the single‐channel properties of the receptor have been assessed in innervated, denervated and reinnervated rat muscle. The changes in abundance of the γ‐ and ϵ‐subunit mRNAs correlate with the changes in relative density of two classes of acetylcholine receptor channels. The results support the view that a switch in the relative abundance of the γ‐ and ϵ‐subunit mRNAs is a major mechanism in regulating the properties of acetylcholine receptor channels in muscle.