Cholinergic Receptor, Nicotinic, Epsilon (CHRNe)

Acetylcholine receptors at mature mammalian neuromuscular junctions are pentameric protein complexes composed of four subunits in the ratio of two alpha subunits to one beta, one epsilon, and one delta subunit. The achetylcholine receptor changes subunit composition shortly after birth when the epsilon subunit replaces the gamma subunit seen in embryonic receptors. Mutations in the epsilon subunit are associated with congenital myasthenic syndrome.It is likely that this change in subunit composition, which occurs during the first 2 weeks after birth, accounts for the switch in properties of acetylcholine-activated channels from low-conductance, long open time to high-conductance, brief open time that occurs over approximately the same time course.