hemidiaphragm skeletal muscle preparations. Describe the process of synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction. With detailed justification, using the information in the table, identify if the toxin is acting presynaptically, or

Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
11th Edition
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Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
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Chapter1: The Human Body: An Orientation
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A researcher is investigating the effects of a toxin, isolated from the skin of a South American tree
frog. The researcher is exploring the effect of that toxin on synaptic transmission at the mammalian
skeletal neuromuscular junction. Their previous studies established that the toxin had no direct
effect upon skeletal muscle contractility, but it did block muscle contractility elicited indirectly via
electrical stimulation of the motor nerve.
To establish how the toxin influenced synaptic
transmission, in vitro studies were performed using the mouse phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm
skeletal muscle preparation, bathed in a buffered saline solution containing a raised magnesium and
lowered calcium concentration. Under these conditions intracellular recording determined the effect
of the toxin on the amplitude (in mV) of miniature endplate potentials (mepps) and endplate
potentials (epps) – see Table 1.
Mean mepp amplitude
Mean epp amplitude
Control
0.5 mV
8 mV
Toxin
0.5 mV
2 mV
Table 1: Mean mepp and epp amplitudes in control and toxin-treated mouse phrenic nerve
hemidiaphragm skeletal muscle preparations.
Describe the process of synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction. With detailed
justification, using the information in the table, identify if the toxin is acting presynaptically, or
postsynaptically.
Transcribed Image Text:A researcher is investigating the effects of a toxin, isolated from the skin of a South American tree frog. The researcher is exploring the effect of that toxin on synaptic transmission at the mammalian skeletal neuromuscular junction. Their previous studies established that the toxin had no direct effect upon skeletal muscle contractility, but it did block muscle contractility elicited indirectly via electrical stimulation of the motor nerve. To establish how the toxin influenced synaptic transmission, in vitro studies were performed using the mouse phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm skeletal muscle preparation, bathed in a buffered saline solution containing a raised magnesium and lowered calcium concentration. Under these conditions intracellular recording determined the effect of the toxin on the amplitude (in mV) of miniature endplate potentials (mepps) and endplate potentials (epps) – see Table 1. Mean mepp amplitude Mean epp amplitude Control 0.5 mV 8 mV Toxin 0.5 mV 2 mV Table 1: Mean mepp and epp amplitudes in control and toxin-treated mouse phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm skeletal muscle preparations. Describe the process of synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction. With detailed justification, using the information in the table, identify if the toxin is acting presynaptically, or postsynaptically.
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