Key result
Partial denervation increases motor unit force up to ~19-fold, driven by terminal and axonal sprouting.
Population
12-wk-old kittens (cat hindlimb muscles: fast-twitch flexor digitorum longus and slow-twitch soleus)
Comparison
Partial denervation by unilateral section of the… vs Normal muscle
Design
Preclinical
Follow-up
approximately 100 days
Authors
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Indicates sprouting enables force compensation after partial denervation in cats; leaves open translation to human neuromuscular disorders.
Partial denervation in cat hindlimb muscles leads to significant increases in motor unit force primarily through terminal and axonal sprouting of intact motor axons, without polyneuronal innervation.
Luff et al. (1988) studied Partial denervation of hindlimb muscles. Partial denervation (unilateral section of L7 ventral root) vs. Normal muscle / contralateral side was evaluated on Motor unit force and sprouting. Partial denervation of cat hindlimb muscles resulted in increased motor unit force (up to 16 times normal in soleus and 19 times in FDL), largely attributable to terminal and axonal sprouting.
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