Fig. 3.
Denervation reduces mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and mtDNA transcript expression. A: relative mtDNA copy number in TA muscle, calculated as ratio of mtDNA to nuclear DNA (n = 5 per time point). Threshold cycle (CT) values from quantitative PCR of the mtDNA D-loop region were normalized to nuclear DNA-encoded cytoskeletal protein β-actin, which was unchanged across all conditions. B: as an indirect index of mtDNA transcription, mRNA content of mtDNA-encoded COX I was measured using quantitative PCR (n = 5–6 per time point). C: cellular COX I transcript levels corrected for mtDNA copy number. *P < 0.05 vs. sham at the same time point. Values are means ± SE.