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Springer Neuromuscular Junction 1st Editon 2012 Softbound by R.E.M. Bowden, E. Zaimis, B. Collier, R.D. Dripps, L.W. Duchen, G.E. Hale Enderby, B.L. Ginsborg, S. Head, F. Hobbiger, D.H. Jenkinson, F.C. MacIntosh, J. Maglagan, S.E. Smith, E. Zaimis
Has the neuromuscular junction been over-exposed or is it perhaps already a closed book? I asked myself this at a recent International Congress when an American colleague complained that the Journal of Physiology had articles on nothing but the neuromuscular junction, while another colleague asked why I was editing a volume on a subject about which everything was already known. It is worrying to think that these views may be shared by other people. I hope that this volume will convince my two colleagues and other readers that the neuromuscular junction is very much alive and continues to attract the interest of many workers from a variety of fields; strange as it may seem, the synapse between a motor nerve ending and muscle fibre, with its relatively simple architecture, is one of the most inter esting sites in the body-I do hope we have done it justice. The various chapters of this volume present a cross section of knowledge as viewed by a group of 13 individuals, actively engaged in research. Multi-author volumes such as this are frequently criticised on the grounds that chapters or sec tions overlap. I believe that such criticium is only valid where the overlap is repetitious. Where it results in the reader having available discussions of material from differing stand-points, overlap becomes a valuable feature of this type of publication. Introductory Chapter The Neuromuscular Junction: Areas of Uncertainty.- Neuromuscular Block by Prolonged Depolarisation.- Desensitisation.- The Clinical Picture.- The Presence of Other Drugs.- The Importance of the Drug Structure and that of the Acetylcholine Receptor.- Pre-Synaptic or Post-Synaptic Action?.- Closing Remarks.- References.- 1 The Anatomy and Pathology of the Neuromuscular Junction.- A. Introduction.- B. Normal Muscle.- C. Development, Growth, and Plasticity of the Neuromuscular Junction.- D. The Neuromuscular Junction in Disorders of Transmission.- E. The Neuromuscular Junction in Disorders of the Muscle Fibre.- F. Conclusion.- References.- 2 Neurochemistry of Cholinergic Terminals.- A. Introduction.- B. Methods for Extracting and Measuring Acetylcholine.- C. Acetylcholine Synthesis.- D. Acetylcholine Storage.- E. Acetylcholine Release.- F. Acetylcholine Turnover.- G. Removal of Acetylcholine.- H. Axonal Transport of Materials Related to Cholinergic Transmission.- I. Prolonged Neurochemical Changes Resulting from Synaptic Activity.- References.- 3 Transmission of Impulses from Nerve to Muscle.- A. Introduction.- B. The Muscle Fibre and the Action of Acetylcholine.- C. Pre-Synaptic Events.- D. Postscript.- References.- 4A Depolarising Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- A. General Introduction.- B. An Introduction to the Pharmacological Actions of Decamethonium at the Neuromuscular Junction.- C. End-Plate Depolarisation by Decamethonium and Suxamethonium in vivo.- D. Effect of Decamethonium, Suxamethonium and Acetylcholine on the Electrical Properties of Single Mammalian Muscle Cells.- E. Depolarisation Versus Desensitisation.- F. Species Differences and Depolarising Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- G. Factors which May Modify the Action of Depolarising Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs and Variations Due to Experimental Conditions.- H. Concluding Remarks.- References.- 4B Competitive Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- A. Introduction and Terminology.- B. Chemical Structure.- C. Methods Used to Measure Neuromuscular Blockade.- D. Distribution of Competitive Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- E. Factors Affecting Duration of Action in Animals and Man.- F. Mechanism of Action at Neuromuscular Junction.- G. Effects at Cholinergic Synapses in the Autonomic Nervous System.- H. Histamine Release in Animals and Man.- J. Miscellaneous Drugs which Cause Muscle Paralysis.- References.- 4C Pharmacology of Anticholinesterase Drugs.- A. Introduction.- B. Morphology and Function of Acetylcholinesterase (AChE).- C. Inhibition of AChE.- D. Actions of Anticholinesterases of the Carbamate and Organophosphate Type and of Anilinium Ions.- General Conclusions.- Appendix I Studies on Frog Muscles.- Appendix II Anticholinesterases and Anilinium Ions Referred to in the Text.- Appendix III An Outline of the Methods Used to Calculate the Quantal Content of the e.p.p. and the Rate of Refilling and Size of the ACh Store in Nerve Terminals.- References.- 5A The Clinician Looks at Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- A. Introduction.- B. General Anaesthesia before Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- C. Clinical Influence of Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- D. Three Possibly Fatal Reactions to Suxamethonium.- E. Less Serious Reactions to Suxamethonium.- F. Personal Technique.- G. Conclusions.- References.- 5B Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs in Man.- A. Introduction.- B. Measurement of Drug Action.- C. Pharmacokinetics of Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- D. Action of Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs at the Neuromuscular Junction.- E. Other Actions of Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs.- References.- 5C Twenty Years’ Experience with Decamethonium.- A. Introduction.- B. First Clinical Reports.- C. Analysis of 32000 Administrations of Decamethonium.- D. Assessment.- References.- Author Index.