EFFECTS OF NEONATAL THYMECTOMY ON THE DENSITIES OF NICOTINIC CHOLINERGIC RECEPTORS IN SKELETAL-MUSCLE AND BRAIN

It has been suggested that the thymic polypeptide thymopoietin interacts with skeletal muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and brain nicotinic receptors labeled by α-bungarotoxin (α-BuTX). In this study, the effects of neonatal thymectomy on the density of skeletal muscle nAChRs and the density of brain α-BuTX binding sites at 7 and 45 days postnatal were investigated. In addition, the densities of receptors in the skeletal muscle and brain of the athymic nu/nu mouse at 42 days postnatal were measured. We found little evidence that the absence of the thymus alters the density of nicotinic receptors in either skeletal muscle or brain. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved.