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Nerve-Muscle Interface
23 November 2016

Nerve-Muscle Interface

Nerve cells (green) connect with muscle cells at junctions called synapses (red). These junctions are essentially the communication sites, where the nerves release chemicals (neurotransmitters) that tell individual muscles to contract. To put it another way, nerve-muscle synapses allow the brain to tell the body what to do – dance, jump, breathe, blink, whatever. For years, it was believed that one neurotransmitter –acetylcholine – controlled the development of these junctions, which is completed within the first few weeks of life. But now scientists have discovered that a second factor – glutamate – is also required. Glutamate is by far the most abundant neurotransmitter within the brain, but until now its role in nerve-muscle junction formation had been overlooked. After a serious nerve injury, reinstating developmental pathways is considered to be necessary for regenerating broken connections. The findings therefore suggest that manipulating glutamate signalling may a valuable and unexplored means for treating patients with paralysis.

Written by Ruth Williams

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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