THE EFFECTS OF BOTULINUM TOXIN ON THE PATTERN OF INNERVATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE IN THE MOUSE

Sublethal quantities of botulinum toxin were injected into the gastrocnemius and hamstring muscles of one leg in mice. Local paralysis and atrophy occurred and persisted for a few weeks. Histological examination showed no degeneration of nerve fibres or of motor nerve endings. Silver impregnations s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental physiology 1968-01, Vol.53 (1), p.84-89
Main Authors: Duchen, L. W., Strich, Sabina J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Botulism - pathology
Cholinesterases - metabolism
Clostridium botulinum
Male
Mice
Motor Neurons - growth & development
Muscles - drug effects
Muscles - innervation
Nerve Degeneration
Neurons - enzymology
Synaptic Transmission
Toxins, Biological - pharmacology
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:Sublethal quantities of botulinum toxin were injected into the gastrocnemius and hamstring muscles of one leg in mice. Local paralysis and atrophy occurred and persisted for a few weeks. Histological examination showed no degeneration of nerve fibres or of motor nerve endings. Silver impregnations showed that during the period of muscle paralysis there was growth of motor nerve fibres from the terminal arborizations. Nerve fibre overgrowth was accompanied by elongation and abnormal configuration of sites of cholinesterase activity. As muscle function recovered the nerve fibre overgrowth receded and well-formed though still abnormally shaped subneural apparatuses were seen. Nine months after the injection of the toxin, the pattern of innervation of the muscle was still abnormal. The growth of motor nerve fibres after the injection of botulinum toxin appears to be a response to the failure of neuromuscular transmission and is not analogous to regeneration of nerve fibres after trauma.
ISSN:0958-0670
0033-5541
1469-445X
DOI:10.1113/expphysiol.1968.sp001948