Disuse atrophy of skeletal muscle: A morphometric study using image analysis

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-510X(78)90002-3Get rights and content

Abstract

A morphometric study of disuse atrophy was done on the rat anterior tibialis muscle over a 13-day period after immobilization of the hind leg by pinning the knee and ankle joints. Cross-sectional areas of individual muscle fibers were measured using image analysis, a new and precise technique. Three types of muscle fibers, light, medium and dark, were defined using a modified myosin-ATPase reaction on cryostat-cut sections. Each of the 3 fiber types was found to show a degree and time course of atrophy unique to itself. At the 0.01 confidence level, the dark fibers (with strongest ATPase reaction) did not shrink significantly. Both the light (ATPase negative) and medium fibers did show significant atrophy at that level; the light shrinking more than the medium.

Simple visualization of the light microscopic images was often found to be misleading. Thus, the need was documented for a precise technique for analysis of fiber size distribution.

References (31)

  • M.H. Brooke et al.

    Muscle fiber types: How many and what kind?

    Arch. Neurol. (Chic.)

    (1970)
  • H.D. Bundschu et al.

    A new method for analysis of muscle fiber cross-sectional areas

  • R.R. Cooper

    Alterations during immobilization and regeneration of skeletal muscle in cats

    J. Bone Jt Surg.

    (1972)
  • J. DeReuck et al.

    A technique of comparison of muscle fiber size distribution in human skeletal muscles

    Medikon

    (1973)
  • V. Edgerton et al.

    The intermediate muscle fiber of rats and guinea pigs

    J. Histochem. Cytochem.

    (1969)
  • Cited by (32)

    • Criteria of type complexity for legged robots

      2020, Mechanism and Machine Theory
      Citation Excerpt :

      This ideal operating state avoids some drivers that keep working at all, while others run occasionally. Still we give a biological example: Muscular well-balanced animals usually have strong sustained moving ability, while muscle groups with less exercise are prone to lose function or even atrophy in the end [44]. The laws of nature seem to imply how we can filter-out some of the less promising “types”.

    • Principles of Fixation for Maxillofacial Trauma

      2012, Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text