title: Morphogenesis of rat myotendinous junction.
abstract: Myotendinous junction (MTJ) is the highly specialized complex which connects the skeletal muscle to the tendon for transmitting the contractile force between the two tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the MTJ development and rat EDL was chosen as a model. 1, 15, 30 day animals were considered and the junctions were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. The MTJ interface architecture increased during the development, extending the interaction between muscle and tendon. 1-day-old rats showed disorganized myofibril bundles, spread cytosol and incomplete rough endoplasmic reticulum, features partially improved in 15-day-old rats, and completely developed in 30-day-old animals. These findings indicate that muscle-tendon interface displays, during rat lifetime, numerically increased and longer tendon interdigitations, correlated with an improved organization of both tissues and with a progressive acquirement of full functionality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environmental Sciences, University Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Curzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environmental Sciences, University Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ambrogini
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environmental Sciences, University Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falcieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environmental Sciences, University Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burattini
keywords: morphogenesis; myotendinous junction; skeletal muscle; ultrastructure