Temporal changes in sarcomere lesions of rat adductor longus muscles during hindlimb reloading. Anat Rec 1994 Mar;238(3):304-10
Date
03/01/1994Pubmed ID
8179211DOI
10.1002/ar.1092380304Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0028354213 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 43 CitationsAbstract
Focal sarcomere disruptions were previously observed in adductor longus muscles of rats flown approximately two weeks aboard the Cosmos 1887 and 2044 biosatellite flights. These lesions, characterized by breakage and loss of myofilaments and Z-line streaming, resembled damage induced by unaccustomed exercise that includes eccentric contractions in which muscles lengthen as they develop tension. We hypothesized that sarcomere lesions in atrophied muscles of space flow rats were not produced in microgravity by muscle unloading but resulted from muscle reloading upon re-exposure to terrestrial gravity. To test this hypothesis, we examined temporal changes in sarcomere integrity of adductor longus muscles from rats subjected to 12.5 days of hindlimb suspension unloading and subsequent reloading by return to vivarium cages for 0, 6, 12, or 48 hours of normal weightbearing. Our ultrastructural observations suggested that muscle unloading (0 h reloading) induced myofibril misalignment associated with myofiber atrophy. Muscle reloading for 6 hours induced focal sarcomere lesions in which cross striations were abnormally widened. Such lesions were electron lucent due to extensive myofilament loss. Lesions in reloaded muscles showed rapid restructuring. By 12 hours of reloading, lesions were moderately stained foci and by 48 hours darkly stained foci in which the pattern of cross striations was indistinct at the light and electron microscopic levels. These lesions were spanned by Z-line-like electron dense filamentous material. Our findings suggest a new role for Z-line streaming in lesion restructuring: rather than an antecedent to damage, this type of Z-line streaming may be indicative of rapid, early sarcomere repair.
Author List
Krippendorf BB, Riley DAAuthor
Beth B. Krippendorf PhD Professor in the Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsHindlimb
Male
Microscopy, Electron
Muscles
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Sarcomeres
Time Factors
Weight-Bearing
