Lateral rectus EMG and contractile responses elicited by cat abducens motoneurons

Stimulation of 41 single, abducens nucleus motoneurons in the cat evoked electromyographic (EMG) and contractile responses in the ipsilateral lateral rectus muscle. Separate, bipolar, fine wire EMG recording electrodes in the global and orbital muscle layers showed that 22 muscle units were confined to the global layer, 8 to the orbital layer, and 11 units were contained in both ("bilayer") muscle layers. "Bilayer" units demonstrated significantly greater twitch (P < or = 0.002) and maximum tetanic (P < or = 0.001) tensions as well as faster fusion frequencies (P < or = 0.022) than either global or orbital units. "Bilayer" units also showed the lowest average kt values (the slope of the linear relationship between motoneuron stimulation frequency and isometric tetanic tension). "Bilayer" units were predominantly fast fatigable (FF). Global units displayed all muscle unit types including all the nontwitch (NT) units. Orbital units were identified as slow fatigable (SF) and fast fatigue resistant (FR).