2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Molecular analysis of the mechanism at neuromuscular junction by correlative light and cryo-electron microscopy
| Project/Area Number |
23570196
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Biophysics
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| Research Institution | University of Hyogo |
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Principal Investigator |
MIYAZAWA Atsuo 兵庫県立大学, 生命理学研究科, 教授 (60247252)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2011 – 2013
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| Keywords | バイオイメージング / 神経筋接合部 / クライオ電子顕微鏡 / 相関顕微鏡法 / アセチルコリン受容体 |
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| Research Abstract |
A synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber is called a neuromuscular junction. At the neuromuscular junction, the signal is transduced by acetylcholine molecules, which are released from the terminal of motor neurons and bind to acetylcholine receptors on the muscle fibers. The acetylcholine receptors form the clusters, interacting with various signaling and scaffolding proteins on the postsynaptic membrane of the muscle fibers. The acetylcholine receptor clusters are indispensable for neuromuscular signal transduction. But the molecular mechanism of acetylcholine receptor clustering remains to be investigated. In this study, we elucidated the molecular distribution of acetylcholine receptors and their associated proteins in the cluster, by the method of correlative observation between light microscopy and electron microscopy, especially, cryo-electron microscopy.
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