Cytoskeletal components of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction: vinculin, alpha-actinin, and filamin.

We have used immunocytochemical methods to investigate the cytoskeletal constituents of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Specific, affinity-purified antibodies to three cytoskeletal proteins, vinculin, alpha-actinin, and filamin, bound to neuromuscular junctions in sections of normal rat, mouse, chick, and Xenopus muscles. All three antibodies bound to the synaptic regions of denervated rat muscle fibers, indicating that the proteins recognized by these antibodies are associated with postsynaptic structures. The three proteins are present at the neuromuscular junction in muscle fibers of embryonic and neonatal animals, and therefore, may play an important role in its differentiation.