[The effect of "nonquantal" acetylcholine on miniature end-plate currents in the mouse]

The development of postsynaptic potentiation (PSP) and desensitization (DS) under the nonquantal secretion (NS) of acetylcholine (ACh) was studied using characteristics of miniature end-plate currents (MEPCs) in mice diaphragm muscle. The H-effect (the measure of the NS level) fell to zero during 3 hours after acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition by armine at 20 degrees C. The MEPCs decay time constant (tau) decreased in parallel with the H-effect, though there was no reduction of the MEPCs amplitude in this case; tau did not change when NS was absent (early denervation). The maximal prolongation of tau after AChE inhibition was the same both in innervated (NS was normal) and denervated (NS was absent) muscle. The reduction of tau accelerated with the temperature rise and occurred after AChE inhibition by neostigmine. There was no changes in tau when AChE was active. It is suggested that nonquantal ACh decreases tau due to the DS development. NS induces no significant PSP after the AChE inhibition, but can do it later according to DS development, so that signs of DS may partially be masked by PSP.