Effects of denervation and tenotomy on the gastrocnemius muscle in the frog: a histologic and histochemical study

The effects of denervation on the gastrocnemius muscle of the frog were studied by histologic and histochemical methods. Thirteen Rana pipiens underwent unilateral sciatic neurotomy and were sacrificed weekly as long as 46 days. Of the three normal populations of muscle fibers, the small fibers underwent atrophy, the intermediate sized fibers remained unchanged in size, and the large fibers either did not change or underwent hypertrophy between 21 and 46 days. Necrosis of muscle fibers did not occur. Histochemical stains showed persistence of the normal pattern after denervation. The small fibers continued to have a high concentration of both oxidative and glycolytic enzyme activity (NADH-TR, SDH, phosphorylase), and the large fibers continued to have a low concentration of these enzymes. Depletion of glycogen stores was seen with PAS. Hypertrophic muscle fibers had mostly subsarcolemmal nuclei and few internal nuclei, suggesting that they may be physiologically tonic rather than twitch fibers. Achilles tenotomy at the time of denervation prevented the hypertrophy of large fibers. Abnormal inclusions have been demonstrated in mammalian muscle following tenotomy alone, but were not seen in the frog.