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Myostatin deficiency is associated with an increase in number of total axons and motor axons innervating mouse tibialis anterior muscle
Author(s) -
Gay Stephanie,
Jublanc Elodie,
Bonnieu Anne,
Bacou Francis
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.23242
Subject(s) - myostatin , tibialis anterior muscle , biology , motor unit , anatomy , skeletal muscle , endocrinology , medicine , axon , immunohistochemistry , motor nerve , muscle hypertrophy
Myostatin (Mstn) is a secreted protein that acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. However, a critical evaluation of neuromuscular aspects of hypertrophied muscles induced by Mstn deficiency has not been done. Methods: We compared the tibialis anterior muscle–nerve interrelationships in wild‐type and Mstn‐null mice of both genders by immunohistochemical analyses, which allowed us to count the number of total axons and motor axons and estimate the size of motor units and the innervation ratio of the tibialis anterior muscle (TAm). Results: There was an increase in the number of total axons and motor axons, and higher values in both the motor unit size and the innervation ratio of Mstn‐null TAm compared with those of wild‐type TAm. Conclusions: We found that myostatin is involved either directly in the control of neuromuscular interrelationships or indirectly through its effect on muscle size. Muscle Nerve, 2012