Morphological changes and recovery process in the tenotomized soleus muscles of the rat

Tenotomized soleus muscles of adult rats were analyzed morphologically and biochemically with special reference to the recovery process. Light microscopic observations of semi-thin sections showed that the characteristic central core lesion was most extensive at 1 week after tenotomy and began to diminish in extent at 2 weeks until no trace of lesion could be seen by 6th week, as confirmed by thin-section electron microscopy. Three phases of changes in the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers after tenotomy were demonstrated by morphometry: phase I designated as the initial increase up to the 3rd day, phase II as the progressive decrease until the 4th week, and phase III as the recovery to normal or even hypertrophy. In electron microscopy, the earliest alteration of myofibrils was recognized at 3 days after tenotomy. The Z discs showed a wavy or zigzag profile with frequent longitudinal splitting of myofibrils. From the 2nd week on, muscle fibers underwent a process of recovery, replacing the central core lesion with new myofibrils in which a reassembly of thick filaments into bundles of thin filaments took place, with Z discs being aligned adjacent to the peripheral complete myofibrils. In SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the molar ratio of myosin to actin diminished markedly as the central core lesion developed and gradually returned to normal with time, correlating well with the loss and subsequent reassembly of thick filaments.