Neuromuscular transmission in the athymic nude mouse.

No major differences were observed in the mechanical properties of diaphragm, extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles from athymic nude and control mice. Denervated soleus muscles from nudes and controls showed no significant differences in their sensitivities to the cholinoceptor agonists acetylcholine and carbachol, either in the absence or presence of the anticholinesterase, physostigmine, suggesting that postjunctional receptor function is essentially normal. Phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations from nudes were less sensitive to the twitch-augmenting effects of neostigmine. No difference in the time course of endplate potentials (epps) between nudes and controls was seen either in the absence or presence of neostigmine. Hence the observed differences in twitch augmentation are unlikely to be due to differences in acetylcholinesterase activity in the two muscles. In normal mice miniature endplate potential (mepp) amplitude decreased and mepp frequency increased with age. These changes were associated with an increase in muscle fibre diameter and a concomitant decrease in membrane resistance. Such changes did not occur in nude mice; thus mepp amplitude remained, high as in young normal muscle. It is suggested that the thymus may play a role in muscle development and that the effects on neuromuscular transmission are secondary to changes in development. In cut diaphragm muscles transmitter reversal potentials in nudes and controls were not different. Although there was no difference in the amplitude of the first epp of a train, or in the immediately releasable acetylcholine store, the quantal content of the first epp, the probability of transmitter release, the total nerve terminal acetylcholine store and the transmitter mobilization rate were all reduced. It is considered probable that all the measurable differences in transmitter release can be explained in terms of the nude muscle fibre diameter being small and being associated with a small nerve terminal size.