title: The role of botulinum toxin type a-induced motor endplates after peripheral nerve repair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the increased number of new motor endplates induced by botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection before nerve injury would be reinnervated after nerve repair, resulting in greater force generation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 3 groups: (1) controls; (2) a group with saline solution injection; and (3) a group with BTX-A injection into gastrocnemius muscle (BTX group). Thirty-six days after the injections the left sciatic nerve was divided and coapted in all groups. Eight weeks later, muscle forces were measured, and histological samples were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences in the number of innervated endplates were found between the groups, but the number of denervated endplates was higher in the BTX group, as was the muscle tissue degeneration score. The BTX group showed distal muscle force measurements of up to 25.8% less compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although BTX-A injection increases the number of motor endplates, they are not functional.
authors: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak Mah, Mimar Sinan Cadde No: 41 Pendik, İstanbul, Turkey.|Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors: Zeynep D
authors: ZD
authors: Akdeniz
authors: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak Mah, Mimar Sinan Cadde No: 41 Pendik, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Bayramiçli
authors: Biomechanical Engineering Institute, Boğaziçi University, İstanbul, Turkey.|EA 4334 "Motricité, Interactions, Performance," Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Nantes, Nantes, France.
authors: Filiz
authors: F
authors: Ateş
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors: Naziye
authors: N
authors: Özkan
authors: Biomechanical Engineering Institute, Boğaziçi University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors: Can A
authors: CA
authors: Yucesoy
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors: Feriha
authors: F
authors: Ercan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000187:drug effects*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A
keywords: botulinum toxin; functional muscle transfer; motor endplate; muscle force-length curve; peripheral nerve repair