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The local effects of tetanus toxin on the electron microscopic structure of skeletal muscle fibres of the mouse

1973; Elsevier BV; Volume: 19; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-510x(73)90160-3

1878-5883

L. W. Duchen,

Exercise and Physiological Responses

Electron microscopic studies were made of slow (soleus) and fast (superficial gastrocnemius) skeletal muscle fibres after the local injection of a sublethal dose of tetanus toxin into the leg of the mouse. Slow muscle fibres, which are paralysed by the toxin, showed severe atrophy, disintegration of Z-lines, abnormalities of tubules and the appearance of lysosomes and multivesicular bodies. Pathological changes in slow fibres persisted for several weeks but within 6 weeks of the administration of toxin their structure was back to normal. Fast muscle fibres, which are not paralysed by sublethal doses of toxin, showed only a mild degree of atrophy. Few abnormalities were found in their internal structure but they did include the appearance of aggregations of tubules.