Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter used by motor neurons at the neuro-muscular junction. Other “cholinergic” neurons in the brain also use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. Ach is also used as a neurotransmitter in the autonomic nervous system. There are two types of Ach receptors in the brain:

  • nicotinic receptors: Ligand-gated ion channels permeable to sodium, calcium and potassium ions.

  • muscarinic receptors: G-protien coupled receptors that exert their longer term effects through second messenger systems. The effect of acetylcholine binding to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors M1, M3 and M5 is usually excitatory on the post-synaptic cell. Ach plays a role in plasticity, arousal and reward in the brain.

Antibodies that label cholinergic neurons

Transgenic lines that label cholinergic neurons

Probes that label cholinergic neurons

Key Publications

Mueller, T., Vernier, P., and Wullimann, M.F. (2004)
The adult central nervous cholinergic system of a neurogenetic model animal, the zebrafish Danio rerio.
Brain research. 1011(2):156-169.

Edwards, J.G., Greig, A., Sakata, Y., Elkin, D., and Michel, W.C. (2007)
Cholinergic innervation of the zebrafish olfactory bulb.
The Journal of comparative neurology. 504(6):631-645.

Hong, E., Santhakumar, K., Akitake, C.A., Ahn, S.J., Thisse, C., Thisse, B., Wyart, C., Mangin, J.M., and Halpern, M.E. (2013)
Cholinergic left-right asymmetry in the habenulo-interpeduncular pathway.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 110(52):21171-21176.

Bertuzzi, M., Ampatzis, K. (2018)
Spinal cholinergic interneurons differentially control motoneuron excitability and alter the locomotor network operational range.
Scientific Reports. 8:1988.

Arenzana, F.J., Clemente, D., Sanchez-Gonzalez, R., Porteros, A., Aijon, J., and Arevalo, R. (2005)
Development of the cholinergic system in the brain and retina of the zebrafish.
Brain research bulletin. 66(4-6):421-425.

Kaslin, J., Nystedt, J.M., Ostergard, M., Peitsaro, N., and Panula, P. (2004)
The orexin/hypocretin system in zebrafish is connected to the aminergic and cholinergic systems.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 24(11):2678-2689.