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PubMed1971

The responses of frog muscle spindles and fast and slow muscle fibres to a variety of mechanical inputs.

1. The tension in the iliofibularis muscle of frogs was recorded while the muscle was stretched or released. At the same time recordings were made from single spindle afferents in dorsal root filaments. Either large or small motor nerve fibres were stimulated in split ventral root filaments.2. While small motor nerve fibres were stimulated the discharge from muscle spindle afferents was greatly increased by stretching, and greatly reduced by shortening the muscle. This sensitivity to movement was shown even if the movements were small, so that a stretch of 0.2% of the muscle length was sufficient to cause a pronounced increase in the afferent discharge.3. In contrast, during stimulation of the large motor nerve fibres the spindle was much less sensitive to movements with the result that even stretches or releases of the muscle by 1 mm did not cause very large changes in the discharge frequency.4. The tension in slow extrafusal muscle fibres in many ways mirrored the spindle discharge during the stimulation of small motor nerve fibres, for the tension was greatly increased by stretching, even through small distances, and greatly reduced by releasing the muscle. The tension in fast extrafusal muscle fibres was much less changed by such movements, and thus was rather like the spindle discharge during stimulation of large motor nerve fibres.5. As the extrafusal muscle fibres do not directly pull on and excite the spindle afferents, the simplest explanation for the similarities between the muscle tension and the spindle discharge is that the mechanical properties of the intrafusal muscle fibres innervated by the large motor nerve fibres are like those of fast extrafusal muscle fibres, and that the mechanical properties of the small intrafusal fibres are similar to those of slow extrafusal muscle fibres.6. It is shown that the cross-bridge sliding filament mechanism of muscle contraction provides a ready explanation for the differences found between fast and slow muscles, and it is concluded that a most important functional difference between the two sorts of intrafusal muscle fibres is the speed of their contractions, for it is this which determines their contrasting actions on the spindle.7. It was also found that low rates (< 4/sec) of small motor nerve fibre stimulation were often very effective in exciting the spindles. These rates produced rather little extrafusal tension.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1993

Mechanisms of fatigue in normal intercostal muscle and muscle from patients with myasthenia gravis.

Fatigue mechanisms in normal intercostal muscle and muscle from patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were evaluated by monitoring the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and tetanic tension responses to repetitive nerve or muscle stimulation in vitro. When fatigue was induced by nerve stimulation at 30 Hz for 0.5 s every 2.5 s, about half of the original tension decreased after 30 min in normal muscle and 5 min in MG muscle. Analysis of the changes in area of CMAPs and tension indicated that impairment of neuromuscular transmission, muscle membrane excitation, and excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling and contractility accounted for 40%, 29%, and 31% of fatigue in normal muscle, and 83%, 0%, and 17% of fatigue in MG muscle. When fatigue was induced by muscle stimulation at 30 Hz, tension declined by a quarter after 30 min in normal muscle, but by a half after 17 min in MG muscle. Impairment of muscle membrane excitation and E-C coupling and contractility accounted for 58% and 42% of fatigue in normal muscle, and 22% and 78% of fatigue in MG muscle. Thus, fatigue of normal muscle is caused by impairment of at least four processes, and enhanced fatigue of MG muscle is caused by greater impairment of neuromuscular transmission, E-C coupling, and contractility.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1991

The effect of muscle length on motor unit discharge characteristics in human tibialis anterior muscle.

Muscle length influences the contractile properties of muscle in that when muscle is lengthened the relaxation phase of the muscle twitch is prolonged and when muscle is shortened, the relaxation phase is shorter in duration. As a result, the force exerted by active motor units varies with muscle length during voluntary contractions. To determine if motoneuron spike trains were adjusted to accommodate for changes in the contractile properties imposed by shortened and lengthened muscle, motor unit action potentials were recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle at different muscle lengths. Twenty subjects performed isometric ramp contractions at ankle angles of 20 degrees dorsiflexion, neutral between dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, and 30 degrees plantar flexion, which put the tibialis anterior muscle in a shortened, neutral, or lengthened condition, respectively. During isometric contractions where torque increased at 5% MVC/s, motor unit discharge rate at recruitment was greater in shortened muscle than in lengthened muscle (P less than 0.05). Brief initial interspike intervals (less than 40 ms) occurred more frequently in shortened muscle than in either neutral length or lengthened muscle. During steady contractions, motor unit discharge rate was greater per unit torque (N.m) in shortened muscle than in neutral length or lengthened muscle (P less than 0.05). These findings indicate that muscle length does influence the discharge pattern of motor unit spike trains during isometric ramp contractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1990

Striated muscle tropomyosin-enriched microfilaments of developing muscles of chicken embryos.

The striated muscle tropomyosin-enriched microfilaments were isolated from developing muscles in ovo by the previously described method with a monoclonal antibody against striated muscle isoforms of tropomyosin (Lin & Lin, 1986). Two-dimensional gel analysis of the isolated microfilaments from developing heart, thigh and breast muscles revealed the coexistence of non-muscle isoforms of tropomyosin and actin throughout all stages of embryogenesis. A small but significant amount of skeletal muscle isoforms (alpha, beta) of tropomyosins and their phosphorylated forms was detected in the microfilaments isolated from hearts of 6-15-day-old embryos. These skeletal isoforms of tropomyosins disappeared after this stage of embryogenesis. In addition, we also detected both embryonic and adult isoforms of troponin T in early developing hearts. In developing thigh and breast muscles, the presence of non-muscle tropomyosin isoforms 2, 3a and 3b in the isolated microfilaments was apparent. The contents of tropomyosin isoform 2 were decreased with development and this non-muscle isoform completely disappeared at the 15th day of embryogenesis. On the other hand, the non-muscle tropomyosin isoforms 3a and 3b were present throughout all stages of development. Double-label immunofluorescence microscopy with monoclonal CH1 (anti-striated muscle isoforms of tropomyosin) and CG beta 6 (anti-non-muscle isoforms of tropomyosin) on the isolated, glycerinated skeletal and cardiac muscle cells of 10-day-old or 13-day-old embryos confirmed the colocalization of muscle and non-muscle isoforms of tropomyosins within the same cells. These results suggest that different isoforms of actin and tropomyosin can assemble into a class of microfilaments (i.e. striated muscle tropomyosin-enriched microfilaments) in ovo, which may transform into the thin filaments of mature muscle cells.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗
PubMed1995

Muscle lines-of-action affect predicted forces in optimization-based spine muscle modeling.

This study describes the effects of varied torso muscle geometries commonly assumed in optimization-based muscle force prediction models. Specifically, the sensitivity of predicted muscle and spinal forces to assumed muscle lines-of-action (LOA) is systematically examined. The practical significance of varied muscle LOAs is addressed by determining the relative precision needed for individual muscle LOAs and assessing which muscles are more critical to accurate prediction of spinal forces. To perform this analysis a nonlinear optimization model was used to generate muscle force predictions during combined frontal and sagittal plane moment loadings with an assumed erect posture. The LOAs of the erector spinae, rectus abdominus, internal and external oblique, and latissimus dorsi were systematically varied in the frontal and sagittal planes over an anatomically feasible range. The results indicated that moderate changes in the assumed LOA could substantially alter the magnitudes of predicted muscle and spinal forces. The estimated activity level of a muscle, as well as the predicted active/silent state could be affected by the LOA of that muscle and others. The patterns of predicted muscle activity, with respect to load orientation, underwent only minor alterations with changing LOA. The relative activation of several muscles, however, was dependent on LOA, and frequently led to variations in predicted spinal compression (> 100 N change) and shear forces (> 50 N change). This dependence of estimated spinal forces on assumed muscle geometry was most pronounced for the obliques and minimal for the more vertically oriented muscles and when loads were sagittally symmetric. This study suggests that muscle LOAs are critical inputs when interpreting absolute muscle and spinal force values predicted by models of physical exertions.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1997

Vascular delay improves latissimus dorsi muscle perfusion and muscle function for use in cardiomyoplasty.

Ischemia of the distal portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle occurs in muscle transfer for cardiomyoplasty and reduces distal muscle contractility and thus the mechanical effectiveness of cardiomyoplasty. We hypothesized that muscle function would be improved by a vascular delay procedure that increases distal muscle perfusion of the latissimus dorsi muscle. The latissimus dorsi muscles of 10 adult mongrel dogs were subjected to a vascular delay procedure on one side and a sham procedure on the other. Following 10 days of vascular delay, muscle perfusion was measured with a laser-Doppler perfusion imager before and after elevation of the muscles as flaps based only on their thoracodorsal neurovascular pedicles. The muscles were wrapped and sutured around silicone chambers (simulating cardiomyoplasty), a stimulating electrode was placed around each thoracodorsal nerve, and the muscles were stimulated to contract in both rhythmic and tetanic fashion. Circumferential (distal and middle latissimus dorsi muscle function) force generation and fatigue rates were measured independently. Circumferential muscle force, circumferential and longitudinal fatigue rate, and distal, middle, and overall perfusion were significantly (p < 0.05) improved in delayed muscle compared with nondelayed muscle. We found that a vascular delay procedure and a 10-day delay adaptation period significantly improve latissimus dorsi muscle flap perfusion and function, particularly in the distal and middle portions of the muscle. Delay should be considered as a means of improving the clinical outcome in cardiomyoplasty.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2002

Muscle spindle distribution, morphology, and density in longus colli and multifidus muscles of the cervical spine.

STUDY DESIGN: Tissue blocks comprising muscle and bone from C5 to C7 segments were harvested at autopsy from 16 individuals ranging in age from 4 to 77 years. The prevertebral longus colli and postvertebral multifidus muscle pairs from one side in each individual were randomly selected for this study of muscle spindles. OBJECTIVES: To determine muscle spindle distribution, morphology, and density for the longus colli and multifidus in caudal segments of the human cervical spine, and to assess whether changes are evident from infancy to old age. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Age-related changes to the osteoligamentous framework of the cervical spine have been well documented. Postural modification accompanies these structural alterations, but there have been limited attempts to document whether muscle sustains a comparable level of morphologic alteration. Previous studies have examined muscle spindles in the neck muscles of various animal models and in a variety of isolated human muscles. However, most of these studies incurred bias through sampling and methodologic assumptions. METHODS: The longus colli and multifidus were resected between C5 and C7, and between left and right pairs selected randomly for spindle analysis. These vertebral segments were selected deliberately because they form the apex of the cervical lordosis and the site at which the greatest age-related modification occurs. The tissue was processed in paraffin, sectioned, and then stained by Masson's trichrome. Spindle characteristics were examined using light microscopy and analyzed by unbiased stereologic methods. A one-sample paired t test was used to ascertain whether the differences in spindle density between the two muscles were statistically significant. RESULTS: The longus colli has a high density of muscle spindles, which appear clustered and concentrated anterolaterally, away from the vertebral body. The multifidus has a low density of muscle spindles, which are found predominantly as single units concentrated closely to the vertebral lamina. No change in spindle distribution, morphology, and density were observed with age. CONCLUSIONS: The current study examined spindle characteristics for an intrinsic neck muscle pair whose coactivation contributes to segmental stability of the cervical spine. The distribution and morphology of muscle spindles differ between the longus colli and the multifidus. In addition, these muscles have significant differences in terms of mean spindle density. Spindle characteristics represent one of many factors that govern proprioceptive regulation in skeletal muscle, and in neck muscles, the central connectivity of these receptors remains undefined. Therefore, although there are anatomic differences between the neck flexor and extensor, the functional implications of these differences are not clear. It is also of interest that spindle characteristics remain unchanged in these intrinsic muscles whose underlying segments are subject to age-related osteoligamentous changes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Null mutation of gp91phox reduces muscle membrane lysis during muscle inflammation in mice.

Muscle inflammation is a common feature in muscle injury and disease. Recently, investigators have speculated that inflammatory cells may increase or decrease muscle damage following modified muscle use, although there are few experimental observations to confirm either possibility. In the present study, a null mutation of gp91phox in neutrophils prevented superoxide production in cytotoxicity assays in which muscle cells were targets, and prevented most neutrophil-mediated cytolysis of muscle cells in comparison to wild-type neutrophils in vitro. We further tested whether deficiency in superoxide production caused a decrease in muscle membrane damage in vivo during modified muscle use. Gp91phox null mutant mice and wild-type mice were subjected to 10 days of muscle hindlimb unloading followed by reloading through return to normal locomotion, which induced muscle membrane lesions and muscle inflammation. Membrane lesions were quantified by measuring the presence of extracellular marker dye in reloaded soleus muscle fibres. There was a 90 % reduction in the number of fibres showing extensive membrane injury in gp91phox null mice compared to controls. Mutation of gp91phox did not change the concentration of neutrophils or macrophages in the reloaded muscle. Furthermore, muscle fibre growth during the reloading period was unaffected by the reduction in membrane injury. Together, these findings show that neutrophils can induce muscle membrane lysis through superoxide-mediated events, and indicate that superoxide-mediated membrane damage in vivo is not required for myeloid cell chemotaxis or muscle growth during muscle reloading.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Effect of insulin on human skeletal muscle protein synthesis is modulated by insulin-induced changes in muscle blood flow and amino acid availability.

Insulin promotes muscle anabolism, but it is still unclear whether it stimulates muscle protein synthesis in humans. We hypothesized that insulin can increase muscle protein synthesis only if it increases muscle amino acid availability. We measured muscle protein and amino acid metabolism using stable-isotope methodologies in 19 young healthy subjects at baseline and during insulin infusion in one leg at low (LD, 0.05), intermediate (ID, 0.15), or high (HD, 0.30 mUxmin(-1)x100 ml(-1)) doses. Insulin was infused locally to induce muscle hyperinsulinemia within the physiological range while minimizing the systemic effects. Protein and amino acid kinetics across the leg were assessed using stable isotopes and muscle biopsies. The LD did not affect phenylalanine delivery to the muscle (-9 +/- 18% change over baseline), muscle protein synthesis (16 +/- 26%), breakdown, or net balance. The ID increased (P < 0.05) phenylalanine delivery (+63 +/- 38%), muscle protein synthesis (+157 +/- 54%), and net protein balance, with no change in breakdown. The HD did not change phenylalanine delivery (+12 +/- 11%) or muscle protein synthesis (+9 +/- 19%), and reduced muscle protein breakdown (-17 +/- 15%), thus improving net muscle protein balance but to a lesser degree than the ID. Changes in muscle protein synthesis were strongly associated with changes in muscle blood flow and phenylalanine delivery and availability. In conclusion, physiological hyperinsulinemia promotes muscle protein synthesis as long as it concomitantly increases muscle blood flow, amino acid delivery and availability.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

Exerkine dysregulation links visceral adiposity to skeletal muscle impairment in end-stage heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: proteomic evidence for a cardio-adipose-muscle axis.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with profound alterations in body composition, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and impaired exercise capacity. Exerkines representing exercise-responsive signaling molecules released by skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and other organs may mediate systemic metabolic communication between tissues. However, their role in advanced HFrEF and their relationship with adiposity and skeletal muscle characteristics remain poorly understood. METHODS: We studied 73 patients with end-stage HFrEF and 16 healthy controls. Body composition was assessed using computed tomography, including visceral (VAT), subcutaneous (SAT), and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), as well as skeletal muscle quantity (psoas muscle index, PMI) and quality (psoas muscle density, PMD). Functional performance was evaluated using handgrip strength (HGT) and the 6-min walk test (6MWT). Circulating exerkines were quantified using the Olink technology. Associations between proteins and clinical variables were assessed using age- and creatinine-adjusted linear models with false discovery rate correction. RESULTS: Among patients with HFrEF, 36% were obese and 38% exhibited central obesity independent of BMI. Muscle strength and muscle quality were strongly associated with functional capacity. VAT correlated with muscle mass but not with muscle quality or performance. Compared with controls, HFrEF patients demonstrated elevated inflammatory and metabolic stress-related exerkines including CXCL8, CCL2, IL-6, TNF, IL-15, GDF15, FGF21, ANGPTL4, CTSB, DCN, and resistin. In contrast, proteins associated with muscle integrity and regenerative signaling (myostatin, BDNF, IL-7, SPARC) were significantly reduced. In HFrEF patients leptin strongly correlated with adiposity measures. Metabolic stress mediators (GDF15, IL-15, FGF21, CTSB) were inversely associated with muscle quality and functional performance, whereas myostatin positively correlated with muscle quality, strength, and exercise capacity. BDNF was inversely associated with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced HFrEF is characterized by a dysregulated exerkine network linking adiposity, skeletal muscle quality, and functional performance. Four biologically coherent axes were identified: a leptin-driven adiposity axis, a metabolic stress-muscle quality axis, a myostatin-related muscle function axis, and a neurotrophic frailty axis. These findings support the presence of a systemic cardio-adipose-muscle signaling network in end-stage HFrEF and identify candidate molecular mediators of sarcopenia and functional decline.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Evaluation of disuse atrophy of rat skeletal muscle based on muscle energy metabolism assessed by 31P-MRS.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate disuse atrophy of skeletal muscle using a hind-limb suspension model, with special reference to energy metabolism. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control group (C), hind-limb suspended for 3 days (HS-3), for 7 days (HS-7) and for 14 days (HS-14). The gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus (GPS) muscles in each group were subjected to the following measurements. After a 2-min rest, contraction of the GPS muscles was induced by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve at 0.25 Hz for 10 min, then the frequency was increased to 0.5 and 1.0 Hz every 10 min. During the stimulation, twitch forces were recorded by a strain gauge, and 31P-MRS was performed simultaneously. Maximum tension was measured at the muscle contraction induced at 0.25 Hz; the wet weight of the whole and each muscle in the GPS muscles was also measured. From the 31P-MR spectra during muscle contraction, the oxidative capacity was calculated and compared among the groups. The weights of the whole GPS muscles in C, HS-3, HS-7 and HS-14, were 2.66 +/- 0.09, 2.39 +/- 0.21, 2.34 +/- 0.21 and 2.18 +/- 0.14 (g) respectively. Thus, the muscle mass significantly decreased with time (p < 0.05). Among the GPS muscles, the decrease in weight of the soleus muscle was especially remarkable; in the HS-14 group its weight decreased to 60% of that in the C group. We evaluated maximum tension and oxidative capacity as the muscle function. The maximum tensions in C, HS-3, HS-7 and HS-14 were 519 +/- 43, 446 +/- 66, 450 +/- 23 and 465 +/- 29 (g), respectively. This was significantly greater in the C group than in any other groups, however there were no significant differences among the three HS groups. The oxidative capacity during muscle contraction in the C group was higher than in any HS group and it did not further decrease even if the suspension of the limbs was prolonged beyond 3 days. The present study showed that in disuse atrophy, muscle mass and muscle function did not change simultaneously. Thus, it is necessary to develop countermeasures to prevent muscle atrophy and muscle function deterioration independently.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Distribution of alpha-vascular smooth muscle actin in the smooth muscle cells of the gastrointestinal tract of the chicken.

Immunoreactivity specific for alpha-vascular smooth muscle actin (ASMA) was examined in the enteric smooth muscle cells along the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract of the chicken. Specificity for gamma-smooth muscle actin (GSMA) and desmin was also examined. All smooth muscle layers, i.e. the muscularis mucosae, and the circular and longitudinal muscle layers, showed immunoreactivity specific for GSMA and desmin throughout the gastrointestinal tract whereas immunoreactivity for ASMA differed between regions and muscle layers. In the oesophagus and crop, immunoreactivity for ASMA was observed in the muscularis mucosae and the inner and outer muscle layers, together with staining for GSMA and desmin. In the proventriculus, immunoreactivity for ASMA was observed in all smooth muscle cells in the inner layer of the muscularis mucosae and the longitudinal muscle layer. In the outer layer of the muscularis mucosae, immunoreactivity for ASMA on smooth muscle cells was observed on the luminal side and decreased in the serosal direction. In the intermediate muscles, immunoreactivity for ASMA was observed in the luminal portion, the intensity of staining decreasing gradually in the serosal direction. In contrast to the intermediate muscles, the latter muscles were negative for ASMA. In the pyloric region, the outer part was weakly immunopositive, while the inner part was intensely positive. In the small and large intestines, the muscularis mucosae and the longitudinal muscle layer were positive for ASMA. The outer part of the circular muscle layer was immunonegative for ASMA whereas the inner part was positive. The complex structure and contractile functions of each organ and muscle layers may be related to the difference patterns of expression of ASMA molecules in the smooth muscle cells.

Actins↗
PubMed2006

Assessment of muscle fatigue using sonomyography: muscle thickness change detected from ultrasound images.

Muscle fatigue is an exercise-induced reduction in maximal voluntary muscle force. As the surface electromyography (SEMG) can be used to estimate the features of neuromuscular activations associated with muscle contractions, it has been widely employed as an objective tool to evaluate muscle fatigue. On the other hand, ultrasound imaging can inherently provide the morphological information of individual muscle, thus the architectural changes of muscles during fatigue can be obtained. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of using the dimensional change of muscles detected by ultrasound images, named as sonomyography (SMG), to characterize the behavior of muscles when they were in fatigue. The SEMG signals of the muscles were also recorded simultaneously and used for comparison. The right biceps brachii muscles of 8 normal young male adult subjects were tested for 30s under 80% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction. The muscle fatigue was indicated by the change of the root-mean-square (RMS) and median frequency (MDF) of the SEMG signals. The results showed that the SEMG RMS had a linear increase with time with a rate of 2.9+/-1.9%/s (mean+/-S.D.), while the MDF decreased linearly with a rate of -0.60+/-0.26Hz/s. The muscle thickness, detected from the ultrasound images, continuously increased during the muscle fatigue but with a nonlinear increase with time, which was rapid during the initial 8.1+/-2.1s with a mean deformation rate of 0.30+/-0.19%/s and then became slower with a rate of 0.067+/-0.024%/s up to 20s after the contraction. The muscle deformation at 20s was 3.5+/-1.6%. The results demonstrated that the architectural change of muscles detected using SMG could potentially provide complementary information for SEMG for the muscle fatigue assessment.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Pre- and post-natal growth and protein turnover in smooth muscle, heart and slow- and fast-twitch skeletal muscles of the rat.

The growth of one smooth and three individual striated muscles was studied from birth to old age (105 weeks), and where possible during the later stages of foetal life also. Developmental changes in protein turnover (measured in vivo) were related to the changing patterns of growth within each muscle, and the body as a whole. Developmental growth (i.e. protein accumulation) in all muscles involved an increasing proportion of protein per unit wet weight, as well as cellular hypertrophy. The contribution of the heart towards whole-body protein and nucleic acid contents progressively decreased from 18 days of gestation to senility. In contrast, post-natal changes in both slow-twitch (soleus) and fast-twitch (tibialis anterior) skeletal muscles remained reasonably constant with respect to whole-body values. Such age-related growth in all four muscle types was accompanied by a progressive decline in both the fractional rates of protein synthesis and breakdown, the changes in synthesis being more pronounced. Age for age, the fractional rates of synthesis were highest in the oesophageal smooth muscle, similar in both cardiac and the slow-twitch muscles, and lowest in the fast-twitch tibialis muscle. Despite these differences, the developmental fall in synthetic rates was remarkably similar in all four muscles, e.g. the rates at 105 weeks were 30-35% of their values at weaning. Such developmental changes in synthesis were largely related to diminishing ribosomal capacities within each muscle. When measured under near-steady-state conditions (i.e. 105 weeks of age), the half-lives of mixed muscle proteins were 5.1, 10.4, 12.1 and 18.3 days for the smooth, cardiac, soleus and tibialis muscles respectively. Old-age atrophy was evident in the senile animals, this being more marked in each of the four muscle types than in the animal as a whole. In each muscle of the senile rats the protein content and composition per unit wet weight, and both the fractional and total rates of synthesis, were significantly lower than in the muscles of younger, mature, animals (i.e. 44 weeks). In the soleus the decreased synthesis rate appeared to be related to a further fall in the ribosomal capacity. In contrast, the changes in synthesis in the three remaining muscles correlated with significant decreases in the synthetic rate per ribosome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aging↗
PubMed1980

The effects of partial denervation at birth on the development of muscle fibres and motor units in rat lumbrical muscle.

1. Two aspects of nerve-muscle development were studied in neonatal rats, the role of competition between motor neurones during the elimination of polyneuronal innervation, and the dependence of muscle fibre production upon the number of motor neurones innervating the muscle. 2. Rat lumbrical muscles were partially denervated at birth by cutting the lateral plantar nerve. Many muscles remained innervated by a single motor axon from the sural nerve. These motor units developed in the complete absence of competition from other motor units. In the adult muscles the number of innervated muscle fibres was approximately the same as at birth (about 120 muscle fibres). 3. In muscles that were totally denervated at birth, the normal post-natal production of muscle fibres was arrested. In partially denervated muscles, the production of new muscle fibres depended on the number of remaining motor units. The relationship between the total number of muscle fibres and the number of remaining motor units was fitted by a simple model. 4. The results suggest that in the lumbrical muscle, the decrease in motor unit size that occurs during normal development can be accounted for entirely by competition between motor nerve terminals. 5. The results also suggest that the normal post-natal increase in the total number of muscle fibres depends on a trophic interaction between the muscle and its innervation.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Relationship between head position and the muscle hardness of the masseter and trapezius muscles: a pilot study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the hardness of the masseter and trapezius muscles at various head positions and to explore the relationship of these two muscles to each other in terms of their respective levels of muscle hardness at different head positions. Twenty-two asymptomatic male subjects participated in this study. Using a hand-held hardness meter, muscle hardness was first measured in a relaxed position as a baseline. The subjects were then asked to assume five deviated head positions, and the muscle hardness was measured again. The data obtained at each deviated head position were compared to those at baseline. In addition, the subjects were asked to maintain a five minute sustained anterior flexion of the head, and muscle hardness was also measured and compared to the baseline. As a result, there was a significant increase in muscle hardness at the point of the whole trapezius with 30-degree anterior flexion, while there was a significant decrease at the point of the right masseter. A significant increase in hardness was seen in the upper trapezius muscle in conjunction with right side bending and in the right upper trapezius muscle on left side bending. Also, a significant decrease in hardness was observed in the right masseter with right side bending. With reference to the axial rotation, there was a significant increase in hardness in the upper right trapezius muscle upon right axial rotation. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the muscle hardness in the whole trapezius after the five minute anteriorly sustained head task. This study provides evidence that deviated head positions lead to an increase in hardness of the trapezius muscle. The data also revealed the simultaneous occurrence of the elevation of muscle hardness in the upper trapezius muscle and the decrease in muscle hardness in the masseter muscle associated with right side bending and anterior flexion.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Apparent viscosity of chicken muscle homogenates. Influence of pH and muscle type.

The effect of pH and type of muscle on apparent viscosity of chicken breast, thigh and combined B/T muscles was investigated. The apparent viscosity of thigh muscle homogenate at pH from 5.8 to 6.6, and combined B/T muscle homogenate at pH from 5.8 to 6.3 was increasing. The apparent viscosity of breast muscle homogenate increased with pH increase, reaching a maximum at pH 6.3 and then decreased. When pH raised from 5.8 to 6.3, breast muscle homogenate apparent viscosity increased 3.5-6.0 times more than apparent viscosity of thigh muscle homogenate. An increase of combined B/T muscle homogenate apparent viscosity under shear rate 0.3333-48.6 (s-1) was approximately an average of increases for its individual muscles. At pH 5.8 and 6.0, apparent viscosity of thigh muscle homogenate was approximately two times higher than that of breast muscle homogenate, and reversibly, at pH 6.3, breast muscle homogenate apparent viscosity was about 20% higher than that of thigh muscle homogenate. The apparent viscosity of combined B/T muscle homogenate at pH 5.8 and 6.0, was greater than apparent viscosity of breast muscle homogenate, and at pH 6.3, was greater than apparent viscosity of thigh muscle homogenate. The present data extend the results reported by other researches that there are remarkable differences not only in functional and rheological properties of myofibrillar proteins (SSP, myosin) but also in those of homogenates from chicken white and red muscles.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of stretch removal on muscle weight and proteolytic enzyme activity in normal and dystrophic chicken muscles.

Hypertrophy was induced in the patagialis (PAT) muscle of 6-week-old normal and dystrophic chicks by passive stretch for 1 week. Stretch was then removed and muscle weights and activities of the proteolytic enzymes cathepsin C, cathepsin D, and leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase) were measured after 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days. In both genotypes, weights of stretch-released muscles dropped progressively for 7 days relative to control muscles, after which they were not significantly different. At the time of stretch release, proteolytic enzyme activities were approximately twice as high in stretched normal muscles as in normal control muscles. In dystrophic chicks there was no difference in activities between stretched and control muscles. However, the activities of the enzymes in dystrophic muscles were already about 4 times higher than in normal control muscles. After stretch release, the enzyme activities in normal muscle progressively fell for 10 days, after which they were not different from normal control muscles. In dystrophic muscles the enzyme activities remained elevated and were not different from dystrophic control muscle activities at any time. We conclude that degradative enzyme activities in normal muscle closely parallel changes in muscle weight, whereas in dystrophic muscle proteolytic enzymes remain elevated and constant whether the muscle is gaining or losing weight.

Animals↗