A Study on ATPase Activity in Denervated Muscle

Abstract

A histochemical study was made of ATPase activity in normal and denervated rat anterior tibial muscles with the light- and the electron-microscope.
After denervation, the myofilaments were greatly reduced in. number and Z-lines were slightly bended. The mitochondrial changes could be detected at three weeks following denervation. The sarcolemma, in part was destroyed at the neuromuscular junction. The ATPase activity in normally innervated muscle was detected in a plasma membrane. The ATPase activity in a plasma membrane was found to be reduced less than seven weeksafter denervation. The reduction of ATPase activity in denervated muscle was remarkable at the neuromuscular junction.