THE SCHWANN-CELL AT THE NEUROMUSCULAR-JUNCTION

Synapses obtained in vitro in a system of co-culture of muscle cells a nd neurons are of embryonic type. We prepared a monoclonal antibody (6 .17) which recognizes a molecule synthesized by Schwann cells and used it to show that the main characteristics of maturity (decrease in num ber of synapses, appearance of junctional folds, and suppression of bu tyrylcholinesterase expression) are under the control of Schwann cells . In addition, Schwann cells have the capacity to aggregate the acetyl choline receptors in myotube cultures. ((C)Elsevier, Paris).