Tongue muscle regeneration, Gold marker studies following cold injury

Rat's tongues were injured by cold and the reactive processes were observed by light and electron microscopy. Injured animals and untreated controls were injected with aurothiomalate and the cells in tongue muscles which contained gold were observed after increasing injection-sacrifice time intervals. In the very rapid regeneration, gold-containing macrophage-like cells fused with each other and with well preserved parts of myofibers. The selectivity of gold localization suggested, at least morphologically, a macrophage to myoblast development. The possible factors affecting the rate of muscle regeneration have been discussed with special reference to the nature of the injurious stimulus and the type of cellular response.