Action of Acetylcholine and Antagonists on Somata Isolated from Locust Central Neurons

A new technique for isolating the cell bodies of insect central neurons and for maintaining them in vitro for several hours is described. The input resistance of the isolated soma was higher than that of its in situ counterpart but it usually had a lower resting potential. Unlike the in situ soma, most isolated cell bodies generated all-or-none action potentials. The somal membrane carries extrajunctional acetylcholine receptors as a diffusely-distributed population. d-Tubocurarine and atropine blocked the response to acetylcholine, but it was enhanced by eserine.