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Possible mechanisms determining synapse formation in developing skeletal muscles of the chick

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Summary

  1. 1.

    The development of endplates of the multiply innervated anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) and focally innervated posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD) muscles was studied in chick embryos. The endplates were visualized using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) stain. Endplates appear in both muscles between the 14th and 15th day of incubation, when the characteristic pattern of innervation is already distinct.

  2. 2.

    The effect of curare on the development of endplates of ALD and PLD muscles of the chick embryo was studied next. In the presence of curare the high concentration of AChE at the neuromuscular junction of ALD fails to develop, and is very much reduced in PLD.

  3. 3.

    This effect of curare is reversible, since when curare was discontinued for four days, endplates of normal appearance developed in ALD muscle. However their spacing was different from that of normal muscles, in that the distance between successive endplates was smaller in muscles from curarized embryos.

  4. 4.

    Muscle fibre diameters were measured in ALD and PLD muscles from control and curare-treated 20 days old embryos. The mean muscle fibre diameter of ALD was greater than that of PLD, and was reduced in both muscles by curare.

  5. 5.

    It is concluded that the responsiveness of the muscle membrane to the transmitter is essential for the development of connections between nerve and muscle, and that the density of innervation of a muscle fibre may be related to the size of its response to the transmitter and its spread along the fibre.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    T. Gordon, Roslyn Perry, A. R. Tuffery &  G. Vrbová

  2. Department of Physiology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England

    T. Gordon, Roslyn Perry, A. R. Tuffery &  G. Vrbová

Authors
  1. T. Gordon
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  2. Roslyn Perry
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  3. A. R. Tuffery
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  4. G. Vrbová
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Gordon, T., Perry, R., Tuffery, A.R. et al. Possible mechanisms determining synapse formation in developing skeletal muscles of the chick. Cell Tissue Res. 155, 13–25 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220281

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220281

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