MuSK controls where motor axons grow and form synapses

摘要: Motor axons approach muscles that are regionally prespecialized, as acetylcholine receptors clustered in the central region of muscle before and independently innervation. This prepattern requires MuSK, a receptor tyrosine kinase is essential for synapse formation. It not known how prepatterning established, whether motor recognize this prepattern. Here we show expression Musk prepatterned early developing myotubes sufficient to establish prepatterning. We further ectopic promotes formation, indicating normally has an instructive role directing where synapses will form. In addition, stimulates formation absence Agrin rescues lethality Agrn mutant mice, demonstrating postsynaptic cell, MuSK particular, potent regulating synapses.