Correlation between Innervation of Skeletal Muscles and Myoblast Stem Cells

In order to explore the change rule of myoblast stem cells (satellite cells, SCs) in the denervated and re-innervated muscle and to investigate the cellular mechanism of the morphological and functional changes of the muscle, denervated muscle atrophy and nerve regeneration models were established in one-month-old rats. Postoperative indexes such as muscle wet weight, cell section areas, content of collagen fibers and DNA, electrophysiology, numbers of SCs in the triceps muscle of calf were dynamically tested. After denervation, the muscle wet weight and cell area reduced rapidly, and the collagen fiber content increased slowly. The number of SCs increased at first, and then declined suddenly two months later. From 4 to 5 weeks after re-neuralization, muscle action potentials could be evoked, but the best innervation effect was found in the groups, which received re-neuralization at 2 months and 3 months after denervation. Denervation causes a progressive progress of muscle atrophy. SCs proliferate within 3 months after denervation, and then atrophy becomes irreversible from 4 months. At 4 or 5 weeks after re-neuralization, muscle action potentials can be evoked. Re-neuralization at 2 months and 3 months after denervation can achieve a good effect on the functional recovery of the atrophic muscle.