title: Histological characterization and biochemical analysis of paraspinal muscles in neuromuscularly healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no generally accepted histopathological reference values in paraspinal skeletal muscle biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined multifidii muscle biopsies from 20 neuromuscularly healthy subjects using routine histological stains and biochemical analyses of respiratory chain enzymes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Staining showed incomplete myopathic features, such as increased variability in fiber size, type 1 hypertrophy, rounded fiber shape, endomysial fibrosis, and replacement by adipose tissue. Acid phosphatase reaction was positive in up to 35% of the selected muscle fibers. Mitochondrial changes were obvious but revealed no selective age dependence. Reduced complex I, cytochrome c oxidase (COX), and citrate synthase (CS) could be observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because the increased variability in morphological details can easily be misinterpreted as myopathic changes, analysis of paraspinal muscles should take into consideration that incomplete myopathic features and reduced oxidative enzyme activities for complex I, COX, and CS are normal variations at this location.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Rajakiran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalepu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponfick
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reichel
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Balkan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Halle, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zierz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gdynia
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kassubek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Albert C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ludolph
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenbohm
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D064170:Paraspinal Muscles / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009243:NAD; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I
keywords: camptocormia; immunohistochemistry; limb muscles; mitochondrial disease; myopathy; paravertebral muscles