RELEASE OF ACETYLCHOLINE FROM EMBRYONIC MYOCYTES IN XENOPUS CELL-CULTURES

1. Acetylcholine (ACh) is important as the transmitter responsible for neuromuscular transmission. Here we report the non-quantal release of ACh from embryonic myocytes. 2. Co-cultures of spinal neurons and myo tomal muscle cells were prepared from 1-day-old Xenopus embryos. Singl e channel currents were recorded in the non-innervated myocytes. When the patch pipette was filled with Ringer solution alone, spontaneous s ingle channel currents occurred, which were inhibited by d-tubocurarin e (d-Tc). 3. The channel conductance appearing in Ringer solution (37. 3 pS) was similar to that of an embryonic-type ACh channel (36.9 pS), indicating that ACh is probably released from myocytes in normal Ringe r solution. 4. When the patch pipette was filled with anticholinestera se alone to prevent hydrolysis of ACh released from myocytes, both phy sostigmine and neostigmine in a concentration-dependent manner increas ed channel open probability; it was reduced by d-Tc or a-bungarotoxin. 5. Vesamicol and quinacrine, vesicular transporter inhibitors, reduce d the channel open probability caused by ACh released from myocytes in the presence of neostigmine or physostigmine. 6. Intracellular alkali nization with NH4Cl inhibited the ACh release from myocytes, whereas, extracellular alkalinization, brought about by replacing normal Ringer solution, with pH 8.6 Ringer solution enhanced ACh release. 7. The im munocytochemistry of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) showed that ChAT exists in both myocytes and neuronal cells but not in fibroblasts. 8. These results suggest that embryonic myocytes are capable of synthesi zing and releasing ACh in a non-quantal manner. Extracellular alkalini zation enhanced and intracellular alkalinization inhibited ACh release from myocytes.