Motor nerve terminal morphologic plasticity induced by small changes in the locomotor activity of the adult rat.
The possible existence of plastic changes in the branching pattern and the complexity of silver-impregnated motor nerve terminals was studied in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of adult rats housed in metabolic cages or trained to walk. Results indicate a precise inverse relation between the amount of locomotor activity and the complexity finally attained by the motor nerve terminals.
Tomas
J
J
Unitat d'Histologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Reus, Spain.
Fenoll
R
R
Santafé
M
M
Batlle
J
J
Mayayo
E
E
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012834:Silver; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D012834:Silver