Highly purified cholinergic postsynaptic membranes from Torpedo electric tissue contain, in addition to the acetylcholine receptor (AcChoR), major proteins ofMr 43,000 and Mr -90,000 and minor proteins that can be removed from the membranes by alkaline treatment. We have prepared an antiserum to these alkaline-extractable proteins that reacts with the Mr 43,000 protein but not with any of the other major membrane nroteins, including the AcChoR subunits. Immunofluorescent staining of sections of Torpedo electric tissue shows that this antiserum binds to the innervated but not the uninnervated surface of the electrocytes. In rat diaphragm muscle, the antigens recognized by this antiserum are highly concentrated at the synapse.
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