The coexistence of embryonic and adult acetylcholine receptors in sarcolemma of mdx dystrophic mouse muscle: an effect of regeneration or muscular dystrophy?

In the sarcolemma of innervated dystrophic mdx mouse muscle we found the embryonic and the adult nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, where normally after innervation only the adult type would be expected, as can be shown with comparative data from patch-clamp experiments from wildtype and wildtype-denervated muscle. As a control to the dystrophic muscle we investigated wildtype bupivacaine-treated regenerating muscle and found both receptor types there, too. Therefore we conclude that the expression of the embryonic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the dystrophic muscle is not a characteristic of dystrophy but a consequence of muscle regeneration.