Open AccessThe biology of long-term denervated skeletal muscle
Author(s) -
Bruce M. Carlson
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
european journal of translational myology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.271
H-Index - 6
eISSN - 2037-7460
pISSN - 2037-7452
DOI - 10.4081/bam.2014.1.5
Subject(s) - denervation , atrophy , degeneration (medical) , skeletal muscle , connective tissue , functional electrical stimulation , muscle atrophy , biology , anatomy , muscle mass , stimulation , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , medicine , pathology , endocrinology , genetics
This review concentrates on the biology of long-term denervated muscle, especially as it relates to newer techniques for restoring functional mass. After denervation, muscle passes through three stages: 1) immediate loss of voluntary function and rapid loss of mass, 2) increasing atrophy and loss of sarcomeric organization, and 3) muscle fiber degeneration and replacement of muscle by fibrous connective tissue and fat. Parallel to the overall program of atrophy and degeneration is the proliferation and activation of satellite cells, and the appearance of neomyogenesis within the denervated muscle. Techniques such as functional electrical stimulation take advantage of this capability to restore functional mass to a denervated muscle