Abstract
Purpose
Although differences in fibre composition, fibre size or acetylcholine receptor (AChR) density between muscles have often been proposed to explain the unequal sensitivities of muscles to muscle relaxant drugs, it is not clear whether or how these parameters differ among muscles or are related to one another. In this study, several muscles were examined to determine the composition and cross-sectional area (CSA) of types I and II fibres, the surface area of their motor endplates (ESA), and their AChR density.
Methods
Biopsies from the thyroarytenoideus, cricoarytenoideus dorsalis, masseter, diaphragm, transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of goats were processed by muscle histochemistry and morphometry and the ESA:CSA ratio was computed. The number and density of AChRs per endplate were estimated by125I-α-bungarotoxin binding studies.
Results
The mean type 1 fibre composition (range: 0–100%), fibre diameter (28–50 μm) and the ESA:CSA ratio (0.27–1.01) differed among muscles (P = 0.0001), but there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the mean endplate size (577–725 μm2), AChR number (6.6−14.5 × 106) or AChR density (8,900–22,300 μm−2) probably because of marked individual variations. Fibre size increased and the ESA:CSA ratio decreased in the order laryngeal, diaphragm, jaw, limb and abdominal muscles.
Conclusion
It is concluded that between muscles fibre size varies more than endplate size or AChR number.
Résumé
Objectif
Bien que la disparité de composition et de dimension des fibres et de densité des récepteurs acétylcholinergiques (AChR) entre les muscles ait été proposée comme explication pour l’inégalité possible de la sensibilité des muscles aux relaxants musculaires, on ne sait pas vraiment si elle existe et comment ces paramètres différent entre les muscles et quelle relation existe entre eux. Pour cette étude, plusieurs biopsie musculaires ont été examinées; elles provenaient des muscles thyroaryténoïdiens, cricoaryténoïdiens, dorsaux, masséters, diaphragmatiques, droits abdominaux, gastrocnémiens et soléaires de chèvres et ont été traitées par histométrie et morphométrie musculaires. Il s’agissait de déterminer la composition et la surface transversale des fibres (CSA) de type I et II, et la superficie de leurs plaques motrices (ESA). La rapport ESA:CSA a été calculé par ordinateur. Le nombre et la densité des AChR par plaque motrice a été estimé grâce à des études de liaison à la125I-a-bugarotoxin.
Résultats
La composition moyenne des fibres de type 1 (étendu 0–100%), le diamètre des fibres (28–50 μm) et la rapport ESA:CSA (0,27–1.01) différaient entre les muscles (P = 0.0001), mais il y avait pas de différences entre la dimension des plaques motrices (577–725 μm2), le nombre (6,6−14,5 × 106) et la densité d’AChR (8900–22300 μm−2) vraisemblablement à cause des variations individuelles marquées. La dimension des fibres augmentait et le rapprt ESA:CSA diminuait dans l’ordre suivant: larynx, diaphragme, mâchoire, membres et abdomen.
Conclusion
Entre les muscles, la dimension des fibres varie plus que la dimension des plaques motrices et le nombre d’AChR.
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C.I. held a Royal Victoria Hospital Research Institute and FRSQ Fellowships during this study. Data from this work was presented in part at the XIIth International Congress of Pharmacology, July 1994, Montréal, Canada.
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Ibebunjo, C., Srikant, C.B. & Donati, F. Properties of fibres, endplates and acetylcholine receptors in the diaphragm, masseter, laryngeal, abdominal and limb muscles in the goat. Can J Anesth 43, 475–484 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03018110
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03018110