Skip to main content
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1977 Feb;265(1):175–191. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp011711

Reaction of intact spinal motoneurones to partial denervation of the muscle.

P Huizar, M Kuno, N Kudo, Y Miyata
PMCID: PMC1307814  PMID: 850159

Abstract

1. The properties of soleus motoneurones of the cat were examined with intracellular electrodes about 3 weeks after partial denervation of the soleus muscle. Soleus motoneurones whose axons had been left intact were distinguished from those whose axons had been sectioned by the presence or absence of muscle contraction in response to intracellular stimulation of each motoneurone. 2. The average twitch tension of motor units evoked by intracellular stimulation of intact soleus motoneurones after partial denervation of the muscle was not significantly different from that observed in control, unoperated cats. Therefore, it was assumed that the majority of intact motoneurones had not been subject to injuries in their axons upon partial denervation. 3. Soleus motoneurones whose axons had been sectioned showed a significant increase in overshoot of action potentials and a significant decrease in resting membrane potential, in axonal conduction velocity and in the duration of after-hyperpolarization. 4. Soleus motoneurones whose axons had been left intact also showed a significantly shorter after-hyperpolarization than that seen in control, unoperated cats. Other electrophysiological properties of the intact soleus motoneurones were indistinguishable from those observed in unoperated animals. 5. The decrease of the duration of after-hyperpolarization in intact soleus motoneurones was greater in highly denervated preparations than in moderately denervated preparations. 6. The decrease of the duration of after-hyperpolarization in intact soleus motoneurones was associated with a decrease in contraction times of the innervated muscle fibres, the former preceding the latter by one to two weeks. 7. It is concluded that motoneurone properties can be modified without injury to their axons and that alterations in the properties of intact motoneurones depend upon the degree of partial denervation of the muscle. The possible signal for alterations of motoneurone properties is discussed. 8. It is also concluded that the contractile properties of muscle fibres can be modified without cross-union of the nerves. It is suggested that the contractile properties of muscle fibres may be linked to the duration of after-hyperpolarization or to some mechanism related to this factor in the innervating motoneurones.

Full text

PDF
175

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BULLER A. J., ECCLES J. C., ECCLES R. M. Interactions between motoneurones and muscles in respect of the characteristic speeds of their responses. J Physiol. 1960 Feb;150:417–439. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006395. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BULLER A. J., LEWIS D. M. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON MAMMALIAN CROSS-INNERVATED SKELETAL MUSCLE. J Physiol. 1965 May;178:343–358. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007631. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BULLER A. J., LEWIS D. M. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLES IN THE KITTEN HIND LIMB. J Physiol. 1965 Feb;176:355–370. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007555. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bagust J. Relationships between motor nerve conduction velocities and motor unit contraction characteristics in a slow twitch muscle of the cat. J Physiol. 1974 Apr;238(2):269–278. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010523. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Burke R. E., Levine D. N., Salcman M., Tsairis P. Motor units in cat soleus muscle: physiological, histochemical and morphological characteristics. J Physiol. 1974 May;238(3):503–514. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010540. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Burke R. E. Motor unit types of cat triceps surae muscle. J Physiol. 1967 Nov;193(1):141–160. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008348. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CRAGG B. G., THOMAS P. K. Changes in conduction velocity and fibre size proximal to peripheral nerve lesions. J Physiol. 1961 Jul;157:315–327. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1961.sp006724. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Close R. Dynamic properties of fast and slow skeletal muscles of the rat after nerve cross-union. J Physiol. 1969 Oct;204(2):331–346. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008916. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. DEVANANDAN M. S., ECCLES R. M., WESTERMAN R. A. SINGLE MOTOR UNITS OF MAMMALIAN MUSCLE. J Physiol. 1965 May;178:359–367. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007632. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. ECCLES J. C., ECCLES R. M., LUNDBERG A. The action potentials of the alpha motoneurones supplying fast and slow muscles. J Physiol. 1958 Jul 14;142(2):275–291. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp006015. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. ECCLES J. C., LIBET B., YOUNG R. R. The behaviour of chromatolysed motoneurones studied by intracellular recording. J Physiol. 1958 Aug 29;143(1):11–40. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp006041. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. EDDS M. V., Jr Collateral nerve regeneration. Q Rev Biol. 1953 Sep;28(3):260–276. doi: 10.1086/399699. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Eccles J. C., Eccles R. M., Kozak W. Further investigations on the influence of motoneurones on the speed of muscle contraction. J Physiol. 1962 Sep;163(2):324–339. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1962.sp006978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. GORDON G., PHILLIPS C. G. Slow and rapid components in a flexor muscle. Q J Exp Physiol Cogn Med Sci. 1953;38(1):35–45. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1953.sp001005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. HENNEMAN E., OLSON C. B. RELATIONS BETWEEN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN THE DESIGN OF SKELETAL MUSCLES. J Neurophysiol. 1965 May;28:581–598. doi: 10.1152/jn.1965.28.3.581. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hammarberg C., Kellerth J. O. Studies of some twitch and fatigue properties of different motor unit types in the ankle muscles of the adult cat. Acta Physiol Scand. 1975 Nov;95(3):231–242. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1975.tb10047.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. KIRALY J. K., KRNJEVIC K. Some retrograde changes in function of nerves after peripheral section. Q J Exp Physiol Cogn Med Sci. 1959 Jul;44:244–257. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1959.sp001397. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. KUNO M. Excitability following antidromic activation in spinal motoneurones supplying red muscles. J Physiol. 1959 Dec;149:374–393. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1959.sp006345. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kuno M., Llinás R. Alterations of synaptic action in chromatolysed motoneurones of the cat. J Physiol. 1970 Nov;210(4):823–838. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009244. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kuno M., Llinás R. Enhancement of synaptic transmission by dendritic potentials in chromatolysed motoneurones of the cat. J Physiol. 1970 Nov;210(4):807–821. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009243. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Kuno M., Miyata Y., Muñoz-Martinez E. J. Differential reaction of fast and slow alpha-motoneurones to axotomy. J Physiol. 1974 Aug;240(3):725–739. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010631. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Kuno M., Miyata Y., Muñoz-Martinez E. J. Properties of fast and slow alpha motoneurones following motor reinnervation. J Physiol. 1974 Oct;242(1):273–288. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010706. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Kuno M. Responses of spinal motor neurons to section and restoration of peripheral motor connections. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1976;40:457–463. doi: 10.1101/sqb.1976.040.01.043. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Lewis D. M. The effect of denervation on the mechanical and electrical responses of fast and slow mammalian twitch muscle. J Physiol. 1972 Apr;222(1):51–75. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1972.sp009787. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Lieberman A. R. The axon reaction: a review of the principal features of perikaryal responses to axon injury. Int Rev Neurobiol. 1971;14:49–124. doi: 10.1016/s0074-7742(08)60183-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. MCPHEDRAN A. M., WUERKER R. B., HENNEMAN E. PROPERTIES OF MOTOR UNITS IN A HOMOGENEOUS RED MUSCLE (SOLEUS) OF THE CAT. J Neurophysiol. 1965 Jan;28:71–84. doi: 10.1152/jn.1965.28.1.71. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. McINTYRE A. K., BRADLEY K., BROCK L. G. Responses of motoneurons undergoing chromatolysis. J Gen Physiol. 1959 May 20;42(5):931–958. doi: 10.1085/jgp.42.5.931. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Mendell L. M., Munson J. B., Scott J. G. Alterations of synapses on axotomized motoneurones. J Physiol. 1976 Feb;255(1):67–79. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1976.sp011270. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. ROSENBLUETH A., ALANIS J., RUBIO R. A comparative study of the isometric and isotonic contractions of striated muscles. Arch Int Physiol Biochim. 1958 Jul;66(3):330–353. doi: 10.3109/13813455809084213. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Salmons S., Vrbová G. The influence of activity on some contractile characteristics of mammalian fast and slow muscles. J Physiol. 1969 May;201(3):535–549. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008771. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Shapovalov A. I., Grantyn' A. A. Nadsegmentarnye sinapticheskie vliianiia na khromatolizirovannye motoneirony. Biofizika. 1968 Mar-Apr;13(2):260–269. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Watson W. E. Some metabolic responses of axotomized neurones to contact between their axons and denervated muscle. J Physiol. 1970 Sep;210(2):321–343. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009213. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Watson W. E. Some responses of neurones of dorsal root ganglia to axotomy. J Physiol. 1973 May;231(1):41P–42P. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Watson W. E. The response of motor neurones to intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin. J Physiol. 1969 Jun;202(3):611–630. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008830. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES