title: The extensor digitorum brevis: histological and histochemical aspects.
abstract: Samples of the extensor digitorum brevis muscle (EDB) obtained at necropsy from 26 subjects without known neuromuscular disease were examined histologically and histochemically. In the two youngest subjects, aged 2 months and 8 years, a mosaic distribution of type I and type II fibres was present. From the second decade onwards, increasing with age, the mosaic pattern was gradually replaced by groups of type I and type II fibres and areas of grouped fibre atrophy appeared. It is suggested that these findings may be explained by a slow process of denervation and reinnervation. This process does not seem to occur to the same extent in three other distal limb muscles from which specimens were also examined.
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008058:Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009121:Muscle Denervation; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009132:Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology; D009218:Myosins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D008058:Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D009218:Myosins