[Embryonic motoneurons transplanted into denervated skeletal muscles]

To observe the living situation of homografting embryonic motoneurons in denervated skeletal muscles.

We transplanted dissociated ventral spinal cord cells from 12 embryonic days rats prelabeled with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine(Brdur) into denervated skeletal muscles of adult rats. The denervated skeletal muscles were collected at 9 and 22 weeks respectively, and Nissl, acetylcholinesterases immunocytochemistry and ATPase staining were used to show the transplanted embryonic motoneurons and the morphography of muscle fibers.

Transplanted embryonic motoneurons could survive, extend out long axons, and form neuromuscular junctions with muscle fibers. Type grouping fibers with bigger transverse area were also observed in the experimental group. Muscle fibers were much smaller and did not form fiber type grouping in the control group.

Homografting embryonic motoneurons could survive well and reinnervate the denervated skeletal muscles.