Autogenous free muscle grafts and regeneration in rabbits: a preliminary laboratory study

From a preliminary study using the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle as an orthotopic free graft in the rabbit forelimb it appears that: (1) viable muscle fibers can be consistently identified in the recipient area, varying from 20 to 100 percent of the normal total fiber count of the FDS graft: (2) viable muscle fibers following grafting appear to be the result of the process of regeneration rather than of survival of original graft fibers; and (3) young rabbits appear to have greater regenerative potential compared with mature rabbits.