Summary
Abnormalities of the muscle fiber in the sub-junctional region were observed in association with both normal and disrupted terminal axons. The most frequently observed myopathic change was the presence of extensive areas of densely packed vacuoles beneath the junction. Fibers containing such conglomerations of vacuoles also manifested swollen sarcoplasmic reticulum. Degeneration of terminal axons was evidenced by swelling, a decrease in the number of synaptic vesicles, and fragmented mitochondria. These findings suggest an involvement of the myoneural junction in the etiology of muscular dystrophy in the extraocular muscles of the mouse.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agostini, B., Noetzel, H.: Morphological study of muscle fibres and motor end-plates in tetanus. In: Muscle diseases, pp. 123–127. J. C. Walton, N. Canal, and G. Scarloto, ed. Amsterdam: Excerpta Med. Foundation 1970.
Bray, G. M., Banker, B. Q.: An ultrastructural study of degeneration and necrosis of muscle in the dystrophic mouse. Acta neuropath. (Berl.)15, 34–44 (1970).
Cheng-Minoda, K., Breinin, G. M.: Ultrastructural changes in rabbit extraocular muscles after oculomotor nerve section. Invest. Ophthal.7, 599–616 (1968).
Coers, C., Woolf, A. L.: Etude histologique et histochimique de la jonction neuromusculaire dans deux cas de myasthenie. C. R. Congr. Méd. Alién. Neurol. Liège, July 19–26, 1954.
Curtis, R. L., Abrams, M. T., Harman, P. J.: The myoneural junction in dystrophic and atrophic mouse muscle. Anat. Rec.139, 219 (1961).
Dastur, D. K., Razzak, Z. A.: Possible neurogenic factors in muscular dystrophy; evidence from muscle biopsy. In: Abstr. 2nd Int. Congr. Muscle Diseases, p. 41. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica 1971.
Davidowitz, J., Pachter, B. R., Brady, G., Breinin, G. M.: Steel knife sectioning of epon blocks as applied to the study of muscle. 30th Ann. Proc. Electron Microscopy Society of America, pp. 38–39 (1972).
Drachman, D. B., Murphy, S. R., Nigam, M. P., Hills, J. R.: „Myopathic” changes in chronically denervated muscle. Arch. Neurol. (Chic.)16, 14–24 (1967).
Drachman, D. B., Wetzel, N., Wassermann, M., Naito, H.: Experimental denervation of ocular muscles. Arch. Neurol. (Chic.)21, 170–183 (1969).
Harman, P. J., Tassoni, J. P., Curtis, R. L., Hollinshead, M. B.: Muscular dystrophy in the mouse. In: Muscular dystrophy in man and animals, pp. 407–456. G. H. Bourne and M. N. Golarz, eds. New York: Karger 1963.
Harris, J., Wilson, P.: Denervation in murine dystrophy. Nature (Lond.)229, 61–62 (1971).
Hudgson, P.: Muscular dystrophy-myopathy or neuropathy. In: Abstr. 2nd Int. Congr. Muscle Diseases, pp. 43–44. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica 1971.
Kilo, L. G., Nevin, S.: Progressive dystrophy of the external ocular muscles. Brain74, 115–143 (1951).
Kimura, M.: Electron microscope study on the rat extraocular muscle. Wakayama med. Rep.13, 111–122 (1968).
Kruger, P.: Tetanus and Tonus der quergestreiften Skelettmuskel der Wirbeltiere und des Menschen. Leipzig: Acad. Verlag, Geest and Portig 1952.
Lenman, J. A. R.: Effect of denervation on the resting membrane potential of healthy and dystrophic muscle. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat.28, 525–528 (1965).
Lessell, S., Kuwabara, T., Feldman, R. G.: Myopathy and succinylcholine sensitivity. Amer. J. Opthal.68, 789–796 (1969).
McComas, A. J., Mossawy, S. J.: Electrophysiological investigations of normal and dystrophic muscles in mice. In: Research in muscular dystrophy, pp. 317–341. London: Pitman Med. Publ. Comp. 1965.
McComas, A. J., Mrozek, K.: Denervated muscle fibres in hereditary mouse dystrophy. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat.30, 526–530 (1967).
McComas, A. J., Mrozek, K., Thomas, H. C.: The incidence of denervation in dystrophic mouse muscle. In: Research in muscular dystrophy, pp. 452–456. London: Pitman Med. Publ. Comp. 1968.
Nicolaissen, B., Brodal, A.: Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. Arch. Ophthal.64, 202–210 (1959).
Ostenda, M., Sluga, E.: Feinstrukturelle Veränderungen von Muskelfasern bei progressiver Muskeldystrophie vom Typ Duchenne. Acta neuropath. (Berl.)18, 173–189 (1971).
Pachter, B. R., Davidowitz, J., Breinin, G. M.: A phase-electron microscopic study of extraocular muscle dystrophy in mouse. Invest. Ophthal.11, 715–722 (1972).
Peachey, L.: The structure of the extraocular muscle fibers of mammals. In: The control of eye movement, pp. 47–66. P. Bach-y-Rita, C. C. Collins, and J. E. Hyde, eds., New York: Academic Press 1971.
Peterman, A. F., Lillington, G. A., Jamplis, R. W.: Progressive muscular dystrophy with ptosis and dysphagia. Arch. Neurol. (Chic.)10, 38–41 (1964).
Shafiq, S. A., Gorycki, M. A., Milhorat, A. T.: An electron microscopic study of fibre types in normal and dystrophic muscles of the mouse. J. Anat. (Lond.)104, 281–293 (1969).
Teravainen, H.: Electron microscopic and histochemical observations on different types of nerve endings in the extraocular muscles of the rat. Z. Zellforsch.90, 372–388 (1968).
Tower, S.: Atrophy and degeneration in skeletal muscle. Amer. J. Anat.56, 1–35 (1935).
Wechsler, W.: Comparative electron microscopic studies on various forms of muscle atrophies and dystrophies in animals and man. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.138, 112–137 (1966).
West, W. R., Meier, H., Hoag, W. G.: Hereditary mouse muscular dystrophy with particular emphasis on pathogenesis and attempts at therapy. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.138, 4–13 (1966).
Zacks, S. I.: Experimental pathology of motor endplates. In: The motor endplate, pp. 84–176. S. I. Zacks, ed. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Comp. 1964.
Zacks, S. F., Shields, D. R., Steinberg, S. A.: A myasthenic syndrome in the dog: A case report with electron microscopic observations on motor end plates and comparisons with the fine structure of end plates in Myasthenia Gravis. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci.135, 79–97 (1966).
Zintz, R., Villiger, W.: Elektronenmikroskopische Befunde bei 3 Fällen von chronisch progressiver okulärer Muskeldystrophie. Ophthalmologica (Basel)153, 439–459 (1967).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study has been supported by the National Eye Institute Grant EY-00309.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pachter, B.R., Davidowitz, J. & Breinin, G.M. Morphological changes associated with the myoneural junction in extraocular muscle of the dystrophic mouse. Acta Neuropathol 24, 214–221 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687591
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687591