[A histochemical and ultrastructural study of nemaline myopathy (case report)]

Nemaline myopathy is characterized by presence of nemaline body or rod-like body within muscle fibers. Biopsy from a 7-year boy showed that rod-like bodies were present in most muscle fibers particularly in those atrophied type I fibers. The specificity of oxidase activity was increased with decrease of ATP and AMP activities as well as the intensity of PAS staining. EM observation showed that the rod-like bodies started from Z line and were similar to the lattice structure of Z line but somewhat more compact. The histochemical characteristics, innervation of rod-like body, clinic subtypes and genetic features of this disease were reviewed.