Common molecular mechanisms in field- and agrin-induced acetylcholine receptor clustering

1. The aggregation of acetylcholine receptors at the developing neuromuscular junction is critical to the development and function of this synapse. In vitro studies have shown that receptor aggregation can be induced by the finding of agrin to the muscle cell surface and by the electric field-induced concentration of a (nonreceptor) molecule at the cathodal cell pole. 2. We report here on the interaction between agrin binding and electric fields with respect to the distribution of receptors and agrin binding sites. 3. (a) Pretreatment of cells with agrin completely blocks the development of field-induced receptor clusters. (b) Field-induced aggregation of receptors precedes the field-induced aggregation of agrin binding sites by approximately 30 min. (c) Electric fields prevent agrin-induced receptor clustering despite the presence of agrin binding sites and freely diffusing receptors. 4. These results indicate that another membrane component-but not the agrin binding site and not the receptor-is required for agrin-induced receptor clustering. They also suggest that electric fields and agrin cause receptor clustering via common molecular mechanisms.