Final answer:
Activated nicotinic receptors produce longer-lasting effects than other types of cholinergic receptors. They open chemically gated channels in the postsynaptic membrane and are not stimulated by muscarine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cholinergic system includes two classes of receptor: the nicotinic receptor and the muscarinic receptor. Both receptor types bind to ACh and cause changes in the target cell. The nicotinic receptor is a ligand-gated cation channel, and the muscarinic receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor. The receptors are named for, and differentiated by, other molecules that bind to them.
Whereas nicotine will bind to the nicotinic receptor, and muscarine will bind to the muscarinic receptor, there is no cross-reactivity between the receptors.
Activated nicotinic receptors produce longer-lasting effects than other types of cholinergic receptors. They open chemically gated channels in the postsynaptic membrane and are not stimulated by muscarine.