Virchows Archiv A

, Volume 382, Issue 2, pp 191–200 | Cite as

Muscle spindles in rheumatoid arthritis

An ultrastructural study
  • Eva Magyar
  • A. Talerman
  • W. C. de Bruijn
  • Judith Mohácsy
  • H. W. Wouters
Original Articles
Received:

Summary

Ultrastructural features of muscle spindles were studied in biopsy material from 100 patients suffering from classical rheumatoid arthritis. Thickening of the outer capsule, increased amount of extracellular ground substance within the inner capsule, and marked thickening of the basement membrane of capillary blood vessels supplying the muscle spindles were observed. Chronic inflammatory cells and macrophages were present within the spindles. Changes affecting the intrafusal muscle fibres were also seen. They were manifest as atrophy and degeneration of the intrafusal muscle fibres, absence of the specialised junctional complexes, and of the intercellular bridges, microladders and satellite cells. It is suggested that the changes affecting the intrafusal muscle fibres are probably secondary. Damage to the myelinated nerves was present, while the sensory and motor nerve endings were well preserved.

Key words

Rheumatoid arthritis Muscle spindles Neuromuscular spindles Ultrastructure 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Adal, M.N.: The fine structure of the sensory region of cat muscle spindles. J. Ultrastruct. Res.26, 332–353 (1969)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. Adams, R.D.: Innervation and blood vessels of muscle. In: Disease of muscle. 3d ed., pp. 54–109. New York: Harper and Row 1975Google Scholar
  3. Banker, B.Q., Girvin, J.P.: The ultrastructural features of the mammalian muscle spindle. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.30, 155–195 (1971)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. Banker, B.Q., Girvin, J.P.: The ultrastructural features of the normal and de-efferented muscle spindle. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.30, 136 (1971)Google Scholar
  5. Barker, D. (ed.): Symposium on muscle receptors. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Univ. Press 1962Google Scholar
  6. Cazzato, G., Walton, J.N.: The pathology of the muscle spindle. Study of biopsy material in various muscular and neuromuscular diseases. J. Neurol. Sci.7, 15–70 (1968)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. During, M., Andres, K.H.: Zur Feinstruktur der Muskelspindel von Mammalia. Anat. Anz.124, 566–573 (1969)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Haslock, D.I., Wright, V., Harriman, D.G.F.: Neuromuscular disorders in rheumatoid arthritis. tA motor-point muscle biopsy study. Quart. J. Med.39, 335–358 (1970)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. Katz, B.: The terminals of the afferent nerve fibre in the muscle spindle of the frog. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. (London)243, 221 (1961) cit. Banker, B.Q. and Girvin, J.P.: The ultrastructural features of the mammalian muscle spindle.Google Scholar
  10. Landon, D.N.: Electron microscopy of muscle spindles. In: Control and innervation of skeletal muscle, Andrew, B.L. (ed.). A symposium at Queen's College. Dundee, Scotland: D.C. Thomson 1966Google Scholar
  11. Magyar, E., Talerman, A., Wouters, H.W.: Histological abnormalities in the muscle spindles in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis.32, 143–150 (1973)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  12. Magyar, E., Talerman, A., Mohacsy, J., Wouters, H.W., Bruijn, W.C. de: Muscle changes in rheumatoid arthritis. A review of the literature with a study of 100 cases. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol.373, 267–278 (1977)Google Scholar
  13. Marrillees, N.C.R.: The fine structure of muscle spindles in lumbrical muscles of the rat. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol.7, 725–742 (1960)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  14. Morrison, L.R., Short, C.L., Ludwig, A.O., Schwab, R.S.: The neuro-muscular system in rheumatoid arthritis. Am. J. Med. Sci.214, 33–49 (1947)Google Scholar
  15. Moritz, U.: Studies on motor nerve conduction in rheumatoid arthritis. Acta Rheum. Scand.10, 99–108 (1964)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  16. Ovalle, W.K.: Fine structure of the avian muscle spindle capsule. Cell Tiss. Res.166, 285–298 (1976)Google Scholar
  17. Patel, A.N., Lalitha, V.S., Dastur, D.K.: The spindles in normal and pathological muscle. An assessment of the histological changes. Brain91, 747–750 (1968)Google Scholar
  18. Ruffini, A.: On the minute anatomy of the neuro-muscular spindles of the cat, and their physiological significance. J. Physiol. (Lond.)23, 190–208 (1898)Google Scholar
  19. Steinberg, V.L.: Neuropathy in rheumatoid arthritis. Brit. Med. J.1, 1600–1603 (1960)Google Scholar
  20. Venable, J.H., Coggeshal, R.: A simplified lead citrate stain for use in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol.25, 407–408 (1965)PubMedGoogle Scholar
  21. Zelenà, J., Soukup, T.: Ultrastructural differentiation of muscle spindles after de-efferentation. Folia Morphol. (Praha)22, 268–269 (1974)Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1979

Authors and Affiliations

  • Eva Magyar
    • 1
  • A. Talerman
    • 2
  • W. C. de Bruijn
    • 3
  • Judith Mohácsy
    • 4
  • H. W. Wouters
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of PathologyPostgraduate Medical SchoolBudapestHungary
  2. 2.Department of Pathology and Orthopaedic SurgeryDr. Daniel den Hoed KliniekRotterdamHolland
  3. 3.Department of PathologyErasmus UniversityRotterdamHolland
  4. 4.2nd Department of PathologySemmelweis Medical SchoolBudapestHungary

Personalised recommendations