Abstract
Most mononucleated muscle precursor cells in 11-day embryonic chick pectoral muscles possess acetylcholine receptors. Cells dissociated without the use of proteolytic enzymes were exposed to 125I-labeled α-bungarotoxin and specific binding was determined by a filter assay and by autoradiography. Prior incubation with proteolytic enzymes removed nearly all of the specific toxin binding sites. There was a wide range in receptor number per cell within the population of 11-day cells. Cells dissociated from 7- to 8-day embryos bind less toxin than 11-day cells. This reflects a decrease in receptor number per cell rather than a decrease in the percentage of labeled cells. Reasons why acetylcholine receptors have not been detected on the majority of muscle precursor cells in previous studies are offered and it is suggested that the appearance of receptors may be an early sign of commitment to a myogenic lineage.
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