Figure 1.

Reduced expression of vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) has no impact on neuromuscular junction (NMJ) development. Expression of VAChT mRNA is significantly reduced in the spinal cord of adult VKD^Het mice (A). VAChT protein was visualized at NMJs in extensor digitorum longus (EDLs) from p9 control (B) and VKD^Het (C) mice using anti-VAChT (green) and α-bungarotoxin (red). The intensity of VAChT protein at the NMJ is significantly reduced in VKD^Het mice compared to controls (D). NMJs were visualized in EDL muscles from p9 control (E) and VKD^Het (F) mice using yellow fluorescence protein (YFP; green) and α-bungarotoxin (red). The average area of receptor plaques is unchanged in VKD^Het mice compared to controls (G). The percentage of multiply innervated NMJs (arrows) is also similar between control and VKD^Het mice (H). Colocalization between pre- and post-synapse is at similar levels in control and VKD^Het mice (I). Represented as mean ± SEM. Expression is normalized to GAPDH and relative to control. Scale bars = 10 μm. Only male littermates were used for these experiments. (A) Control n = 3; VKD^Het n = 3; 13 months old, (B–I) control n = 4; VKD^Het n = 4; 9 days old. At least 25 NMJs were examined per animal. Black circles represent individual data points. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.