3
Views
6
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Article

Carbonyl Binding Sites in the Cholinergic Receptors of the Motor-End-Plate

&
Pages 67-75 | Received 14 May 1973, Published online: 07 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

The microelectro-osmotic application of either methylacetate (MA) or ethylacetate (EA) to the chemosensitive areas of the end-plate membrane in frog muscle is followed by depolarizations similar to those elicited by the iontophoretic application of acetylcholine from the same multi-barrelled micropipettes. The chemical function responsible for the cholinergic activity of MA and EA, well-known substrates of acetycholinesterase, appears to be their carbonyl group. If the carbonyl oxygen of EA is replaced by two hydrogens, the resulting compound is ethyl ether, which not only lacks depolarizing action but is a cholinergic blocking agent. On the contrary, if the ether oxygen of MA is removed, the resulting compound, acetone, retains the depolarizing action. These results demonstrate the presence of a carbonyl binding site in the cholinergic end-plate receptors and also that drug-receptor interactions restricted to this site are sufficient to induce receptor activation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

J. Del Castillo

Joyce Laing works in the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry, Playfield House, Cupar, Fife, and is a Consultant Art Therapist to Psychiatric Hospitals and Prisons and Chairwoman of the Scottish Society of Art and Psychology

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.