The role of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex on the neuromuscular system.

Neurosci Lett

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA; Program in Neuroscience, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA. Electronic address:

Published: March 2020

The Dystrophin Glycoprotein Complex (DGC) is a large multi-protein complex that links cytoskeleton actin to the extracellular matrix. This complex is critical in maintaining the structural integrity of muscle fibers and the stability of the neuromuscular synapse. The DGC consists of dystrophin and its utrophin homolog, as well as dystroglycans, sarcoglycans, sarcospan, syntrophins, and dystrobrevins. Deficiencies in DGC proteins result in several forms of muscular dystrophy with varying symptoms and degrees of severity in addition to structurally abnormal neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). This mini-review highlights current knowledge regarding the role of the DGC on the molecular dynamics of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) as it relates to the formation and maintenance of the mammalian NMJ.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8792866PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134833DOI Listing

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