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. 1974 Aug;241(1):183–199. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010648

Absence of action potentials in frog slow muscle fibres paralysed by botulinum toxin

R Miledi, N C Spitzer
PMCID: PMC1331080  PMID: 4371279

Abstract

1. As shown previously, slow muscle fibres of the frog develop the ability to produce action potentials in 2 weeks after denervation.

2. Normal transmission at the slow fibre neuromuscular junction gives a junction potential of 11 mV average (range 6-20 mV), caused by summation of potentials from several motor axons.

3. Botulinum toxin injected intramuscularly into the iliofibularis blocks the neuromuscular junction of slow fibres in 6 days at room temperature. Single nerve stimuli give junction potentials of 0·05 mV average (range 0-1·6 mV). Contraction of slow fibres in response to tetanic stimulation is eliminated.

4. No action potentials could be elicited in botulinum treated fibres, even 6½ weeks after injection of toxin. This finding is discussed in relation to the possible involvement of a `trophic' factor regulating the action potential mechanism in frog slow muscle fibres.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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