Age changes of neuromuscular junctions in the extensor digitorum longus muscle of spontaneous thymoma BUF/Mna rats A scanning and transmission electron microscopic study

被引：0

作者：

T. Ezaki

S. Oki

Y. Matsuda

J. Desaki

机构：

[1] Department of Anatomy,

[2] Kumamoto University School of Medicine,undefined

[3] 2-2-1 Honjo,undefined

[4] Kumamoto 860-0811,undefined

[5] Japan e-mail: ezakit@kaiju.medic.kumamoto-u.ac.jp Fax: +81-96-3735047,undefined

[6] Department of Orthopedic Surgery,undefined

[7] Ehime University School of Medicine,undefined

[8] Shigenobu,undefined

[9] Ehime 791-0295,undefined

[10] Japan,undefined

[11] Department of Anatomy,undefined

[12] Ehime University School of Medicine,undefined

[13] Shigenobu,undefined

[14] Ehime 791-0295,undefined

[15] Japan,undefined

来源：

Virchows Archiv | 2000年 / 437卷

关键词：

Keywords Muscle weakness; Neuromuscular junction; Extensor digitorum longus muscle; BUF/Mna rat; Thymoma;

D O I：

暂无

中图分类号：

学科分类号：

摘要：

BUF/Mna rats spontaneously develop thymomas and cause muscle weakness of hind legs at an advanced age. This rat strain has been recognized as a suitable animal model for human myasthenia gravis or related myopathies. To characterize the structural changes of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in BUF/Mna rats, subneural apparatuses (SNAs) of extensor digitorum longus muscles of young-adult (4-month-old) and aged (22- to 25-month-old) male rats were examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The SNAs of NMJs in young rats consist of complex labyrinthine gutters with numerous slit-like junctional folds. SNAs in aged BUF/Mna rats, however, are characterized by: (1) a group of cup-like depressions with very wide slit-like junctional folds in relatively large muscle fibers (the major type), (2) the presence of slit-like folds on the flat sarcoplasm outside the cup-like depressions or on the protruded sarcoplasm, and (3) winding gutters or a small number of round depressions with poorly developed synaptic folds in small and medium-sized muscle fibers (the minor type). Since similar structural changes have been reported in dystrophic mice or normally aged rats, it is suggested that both the slowly progressing muscle atrophy and age-dependent turnover of muscle fibers may occur in the aged BUF/Mna rats.

引用

页码：388 / 395

页数：7