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The agrin/muscle‐specific kinase pathway: New targets for autoimmune and genetic disorders at the neuromuscular junction
Author(s) -
Liyanage Yohan,
Hoch Werner,
Beeson David,
Vincent Angela
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.1218
Subject(s) - agrin , neuromuscular junction , acetylcholine receptor , myasthenia gravis , neuromuscular transmission , biology , receptor tyrosine kinase , autoimmune disease , tyrosine kinase , neuroscience , immunology , kinase , signal transduction , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , genetics , endocrinology
The increasing understanding of the structural complexity of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), and the processes that are important in its development, suggests many possible new disease targets. Here, we summarize briefly the genetic and autoimmune disorders that affect neuromuscular transmission, and the identified targets, including new evidence that antibodies to muscle‐specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) are involved in the pathogenesis of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody–negative myasthenia gravis. We then review the development of the NMJ, focusing on the important roles of nerve‐derived agrin and MuSK in clustering of AChRs and other essential components of the NMJ. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 25: 4–16, 2002