Myasthenia gravis: An embryologic and phylogenetic perspective
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Dissection of the Transversus Abdominis Muscle for Whole-mount Neuromuscular Junction Analysis
Published on: January 11, 2014
Abstract:
Myasthenia gravis is a rare disease with unique clinical features. These include (1) progressive fatigue on exertion, most evident clinically in the muscles of the head and neck (2) a definite relationship of the disease to the thyroid, parathyroid and thymus glands. A hypothesis is advanced with correlates these facts on the basis of a common embryologic origin of these glands and the branchial arch muscles. A corollary is that the muscles of the head and neck differ from the somatic musculature in some as-yet-unidentified manner, for example, pharmacologically. A plea is made for comparative studies between the two.
Related Concept Videos
Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which leads...
Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Myasthenia Gravis ll: Pathophysiology

