[X-ray diffraction study of muscles in disease]

Structural parameters of muscles in some diseases have been studied using X-ray diffraction methods. Fixed parts of muscles dissected in the operation correcting the vertebrate shape were used as samples in the case of patients III-IV stage of scoliosis muscles. The sarcomere protofibrillar lattice in muscles was found to be retained until the destruction of the muscle tissue; no differences between the muscles from the convex and concave sides of the vertebrate were observed. This seems to be an evidence of functional inertia of the diseased muscles and of their atrophy. Fixed parts of myocardial muscles taken during surgical correction were used as samples in investigating the Tetralogy of Fallot heart disease in children. A disturbance of packing parameters of the protofibrillar apparatus was observed in a significant part of the apparatus volume. In the case of critical experimental heart deficiency in dogs the protofibrillar lattice structure was retained, probably due to its resistance nature.