title: Qualitative and quantitative changes in acetylcholine receptor distribution at the neuromuscular junction following free muscle transfer.
abstract: The qualitative and quantitative changes in acetylcholine receptor distribution were studied in the gracilis muscle of the Wistar rat following free neurovascular transfer. Even at 30 weeks after transfer, the morphology of the neuromuscular junction failed to return to the presurgical state. The number of acetylcholine receptors at the reinnervated neuromuscular junction also remained lower than the control. The persistent weakness following free neurovascular muscle transfer may be attributed to these qualitative and quantitative changes at the neuromuscular junction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Tay Sam Wah
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000378:metabolism*; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002038:Bungarotoxins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic