Fast and slow muscles of the chick after nerve cross-union

Abstract

1. The multiply innervated anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) and the focally innervated posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD) muscles of the chick were investigated 2-18 months after nerve cross-union.2. The fast PLD muscle re-innervated by the slow muscle nerve became supplied with ;en grappe' end-plates and responded to a single nerve volley with local potentials only. Control PLD muscles re-innervated by the original nerve, had ;en plaque' end-plates and responded to a single nerve volley by synchronous action potentials in the same way as normal muscles.3. In the slow ALD muscle re-innervated with the ;mixed' PLD nerve, the type of innervation and of electromyographic response remained practically unchanged, with the exception of transplanted ALD muscles supplied with PLD nerves where, in addition to local responses, propagated action potentials were registered electromyographically in response to single nerve volleys.4. ALD muscles of young chickens re-innervated both with an implanted purely fast muscle nerve and with the regenerated original nerve, had two types of innervation: ;en plaque' end-plates around the nerve implant, and multiple ;en grappe' end-plates in areas supplied with the ALD nerve. Accordingly, propagated action potentials were registered in response to single nerve volleys in regions near the implant, whereas local potentials were recorded in areas with original innervation.5. Contraction velocity was not substantially altered in PLD and ALD muscles after nerve cross-union.6. No changes were observed in the fine structure of muscle fibres in extrajunctional regions.