NEUROMUSCULAR

TRANSMISSION
 OBJECTIVES
 Examine the structure of a
neuromuscular junction

 Understand the sequence of events

at the Neuromuscular – junction
following a stimulus
What you need to know:
 Anatomy of a skeletal muscle cell
 Resting membrane potential
 Action potential
 Depolarization
Overview: Skeletal muscle
contraction
Stimulated by a nerve ending

Electrical current / action potential

Muscle sarcolemma
Rise in intracellular calcium

Muscle contraction
* excitation-contraction coupling
 Anatomy of a Skeletal Muscle and Nerve
Ending ( gross  microscopic)

 The neuromuscular Junction and the

Nerve Stimulus

 Steps in Acetylcholine synthesis 

Degradation
Steps: 1. Synthesis
choline + Acetyl-co-A
* Choline Acetyl Transferase
 6.
5. Recycling
storage of choline
2. Degradation 4.Binding
cholineof+ Ach to receptors
Acetate ion
Choline – reabsorbed
• EPPback to the axonal terminal
*>300,000
acetylcholinesterase
3. releasevesicles/axonal
•MEPP terminal
 DRUGS AFFECTING N-M JUNCTION TRANSMISSION
Drugs that inhibit choline transport to the nerve axon
Hemicholinium
Drugs that block release of Ach at the presynaptic membrane
BOTULINUM TOXIN
BLACKWIDOW SPIDER VENOM
“OPPOSITE”
Drugs that stimulate the mucle fiber with Ach-like action
CARBACHOL, METACHOLINE, NICOTINE
DRUGS THAT BLOCK TRANSMISSION AT THE N-M JUNCTION
Neuromuscular Blocking Agent
1.Nondepolarizing : Curare, Pancuronium, Tracium
2. Depolarizing
succinylcholine
 DRUGS THAT type
1.Reversible STIMULATE N-M-J
(temporarily BY
binds)
INACTIVATING ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE
Physostigmine, Neostigmine
(anti-chease)
Tx: myasthenia Gravis
 2. Irreversible type
DRUGS THAT STIMULATE N-M-J
Isoflurophate (Di- isopropyl flourophosphate)
BY
INACTIVATING
-Aging ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE
*chemical activators
(anti-chease)
PRALIDOXIME ( PAM)