Key aspects of phrenic motoneuron and diaphragm muscle development during the perinatal period.

Invited Review HIGHLIGHTED TOPIC Neural Control of Perinatal Respiration Key aspects of phrenic motoneuron and diaphragm muscle development during the perinatal period

Mantilla CB, Sieck GC. Key aspects of phrenic motoneuron and diaphragm muscle development during the perinatal period. J Appl Physiol 104: 1818–1827, 2008. First published April 10, 2008; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01192.2007.—At the time of birth, respiratory muscles must be activated to sustain ventilation. The perinatal development of respiratory motor units (comprising an individual motoneuro...

Phrenic motoneuron and diaphragm development during the perinatal period

Contractile and fatigue properties of the rat diaphragm musculature during the perinatal period.

The following two hypotheses regarding diaphragm contractile properties in the perinatal rat were tested. First, there is a major transformation of contractile and fatigue properties during the period between the inception of inspiratory drive transmission in utero and birth. Second, the diaphragm muscle properties develop to functionally match changes occurring in phrenic motoneuron electrophy...

An overview of phrenic nerve and diaphragm muscle development in the perinatal rat.

In this overview, we outline what is known regarding the key developmental stages of phrenic nerve and diaphragm formation in perinatal rats. These developmental events include the following. Cervical axons emerge from the spinal cord during embryonic (E) day 11. At approximately E12.5, phrenic and brachial axons from the cervical segments merge at the brachial plexi. Subsequently, the two popu...

Phrenic motoneuron morphology during rapid diaphragm muscle growth.

In the adult rat, there is a general correspondence between the sizes of motoneurons, motor units, and muscle fibers that has particular functional importance in motor control. During early postnatal development, after the establishment of singular innervation, there is rapid growth of diaphragm muscle (Dia(m)) fibers. In the present study, the association between Dia(m) fiber growth and change...