Summary
With methylene blue stain, 3 types of motor terminals were distinguished in the rat diaphragm. Type A terminals possess long slender branches and numerous minute terminal boutons, type C ones fewer thick branches and few large terminal boutons, and type B ones possess intermediate characteristics. In three animals, type A constitutes 20.5% (s.d. 2.5), B 20.0% (s.d. 3.0), and C 59.5% (s.d. 3.5). Type A terminals are often but not always larger than type C, type B terminals overlapping with both size ranges. Type A terminals tend to innervate thick muscle fibers and type C thin ones, type B innervating muscle fibers of intermediate width. The frequencies of occurrence of types A, B, and C terminals closely parallel the frequencies of so-called “white”, “intermediate”, and ”red” muscle fibers, respectively, as determined with a fat stain.
It is concluded that the three morphological types of motor terminals each may innervate one of three types of muscle fibers.
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Wærhaug's contribution to this study is a partial fulfilment of his major at Norwegian College of Physical Education and Sport.
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Korneliussen, H., Wærhaug, O. Three morphological types of motor nerve terminals in the rat diaphragm, and their possible innervation of different muscle fiber types. Z. Anat. Entwickl. Gesch. 140, 73–84 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00520719
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00520719