Cholesterol and the Safety Factor for Neuromuscular Transmission

Abstract

A present review is devoted to the analysis of literature data and results of own research. Skeletal muscle neuromuscular junction is specialized to trigger the striated muscle fiber contraction in response to motor neuron activity. The safety factor at the neuromuscular junction strongly depends on a variety of pre- and postsynaptic factors. The review focuses on the crucial role of membrane cholesterol to maintain a high efficiency of neuromuscular transmission. Cholesterol metabolism in the neuromuscular junction, its role in the synaptic vesicle cycle and neurotransmitter release, endplate electrogenesis, as well as contribution of cholesterol to the synaptogenesis, synaptic integrity, and motor disorders are discussed.

Keywords

• skeletal muscle
• neuromuscular transmission
• safety factor
• cholesterol and lipid rafts
• oxysterols
• synaptic vesicle cycle
• quantal release
• Na,K-ATPase
• nicotinic acetylcholine receptor