Curare binding and the curare-induced subconductance state of the acetylcholine receptor channel

The curare-induced subconductance state of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) of mouse skeletal muscle was examined using the patch-clamp technique. The voltage dependence and concentration dependence of subconductance state kinetics are consistent with curare binding to a site within the channel. The results presented here support the hypothesis that curare induces subconductance states by binding to a site on the receptor other than the agonist binding sites, possibly within the channel pore.