title: [Impact of 3-month simulation of the microgravity effects on the neuromuscular junction structure in rat's m. soleus].
abstract: The neuromuscular junctions were investigated in m. soleus of rats subjected to a 3-month tail suspension simulating the microgravity effects. Electron microscopy analysis revealed some ultrastructural signs of atrophy, degeneration and adipose dystrophy of muscle fibers. The aggregate of these findings points to progressive atrophy in m. soleus, while ultrastructural changes in the neuromuscular synapses testify a reduced functional activity of the synapses and partial denervation of the muscle fibers which, probably, underlay the atrophic process in the muscle. Increases in the number of axon terminals found in some neuromuscular synapses as well as of synaptic vesicles in individual axon terminals are likely to reflect formation of a particularly active pool of spinal motoneurons at L5, possibly associated with the growth in the number of fast fibers resulted from transformation.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Babakova
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Krasnov
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Pozdniakov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009137:Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000662:veterinary