In vitro autoradiography of [3H]acetylcholine binding in rat hind limb muscles

The morphological distribution of acetylcholine receptors in normal and denervated rat tibialis anterior and soleus muscles was studied by in vitro quantitative autoradiography with [3H]acetylcholine (ACh). In normal muscles [3H]ACh binding was restricted to the neuromuscular junction, while denervated muscles showed binding also in extrajunctional areas. After denervation there was also an increase in the junctional binding.