Quantitative study of motor endplates in muscle fibres dissociated by a simple procedure

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Abstract
Large numbers of single mouse muscle fibers can be obtained reproducibly from glutaraldehyde-fixed skeletal muscle by the described method. With suitable modifications, acetylcholine receptor number (.alpha.-bungarotoxin binding sites) and endplate area in parallel portions produced from the same muscle sample can be estimated. Small differences (e.g., with growth or between muscle types) become detectable. Microdissection further increases the precision of evaluation of junctional, perijunctional and extrajunctional binding sites. Other applications are discussed.