Lysis of cholinergic synaptosomes by an antiserum to choline acetyltransferase

Abstract

Synaptosomes have proved most useful in investigating the biochemistry of the synapse [l]. A major limitation in the use of synaptosomes from mammalian brain is the heterogeneity of the preparations with respect to transmitter type. An ability to discriminate between sub-populations of nerve-terminals would allow these sub-populations to be counted, and even separated in a manner that has been found possible for subclasses of lymphocytes 121. Elimination of a sub-population would allow greater certainty in attributing specific properties to a nerve-ending type (e.g., in studying pre-synaptic receptors [3]). Antisera to synaptosomes have been described which affect synaptosomal properties [4-81; however, only a few studies have used antisera seemingly capable of selectively affecting sub-populations of synaptosomes 19, lo]. Here, an antiserum to a purified choline acetyltransferase preparation, acting with complement, appeared to lyse cholinergic synaptosomes, while having no action on synaptosomes capable of taking up y-amino-butyric acid (GABA).