Time course of sprouting during muscle reinnervation in vitamin E-deficient rats.
A typical aspect of motoneuron plasticity is the sprouting which occurs during muscle reinnervation, resulting in a transitory multiple innervation of the muscle cells. In order to verify the effect of a decreased protection from free radical attack on the sprouting, the multiple innervation in the extensor digitorum longus muscle, following sciatic nerve crush and regeneration, was studied in vitamin E-deficient rats. Thus, the innervated end-plates and the end-plates with multiple innervation were studied with histochemical and electrophysiological techniques. The percentage of innervated end-plates was similar in both groups at 30 as well as at 60 days after nerve crush. Nevertheless, multiple innervation was found in a larger part of the muscle and it lasted longer in the deficient rats. This finding is discussed in relation to some of the major hypotheses of sprouting; it may be relevant in the treatment of some lesions of peripheral nerve.
Cuppini
R
R
Istituto di Anatomia e Fisiologia Generale, Università di Urbino, Italy.
Cecchini
T
T
Cuppini
C
C
Ciaroni
S
S
Del Grande
P
P
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D006614:Hindlimb; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000503:physiopathology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009409:Nerve Crush; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*