Effects of tail suspension on electrophysiological characteristics of muscle spindles in isolated rat soleus muscle.
OBJECTIVE
To study changes in electrophysiological characteristics of muscle spindles induced by simulated weightlessness in isolated rats soleus.


METHODS
Weightlessness was simulated by tail-suspension in female rats. Using electro-physiological technique, the spontaneous discharge of muscle spindle and its response to ramp-and-hold stretch were observed in isolated soleus of 7 d, 14 d tail-suspended and control rats.


RESULTS
Soleus muscle spindles of rat manifest a sharp decrease in spontaneous discharge frequency and the response to ramp-and-hold stretch after 7 d tail-suspension. More significant changes were observed in rats after 14 d tail-suspension.


CONCLUSIONS
Simulated weightlessness could induce time-related changes in electrophysiological characteristics of soleus muscle spindles in rat.
Department of Physiology, Medical School of Xi'an Jiatong University, Xi'an. tang6876@yahoo.com.cn
Bin
B
Tang
Xiao-li
XL
Fan
Su-di
SD
Wu
D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D009470:Muscle Spindles / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation