Abstract
One of the oldest known forms of neuronal plasticity is the ability of peripheral nerves to grow and form functional connections after damage to neighbouring axons1. Yet the source of the signal which elicits this ‘Sprouting’ remains unknown. In mammalian muscles, paralysis—which gives rise to many of the changes which occur in denervated muscles2,3—causes motor nerve terminals to sprout4–6. Could the inactive muscle fibres (rather than nerve degeneration products, another likely source7–9) be responsible for some of the sprouting found in partial denervation? We confirm in this paper that direct stimulation of a partially denervated muscle inhibits sprouting10,11 and show that stimulation does so by activating the denervated fibres. Consequently after partial denervation the same signal as that which causes terminal sprouting in a paralysed muscle is able to spread from the denervated muscle fibres to the nerves on the innervated fibres and initate terminal sprouting.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Edds, M. V. Q. Rev. Biol. 28, 260–276 (1953).
Lømo, T. & Rosenthal, J. J. Physiol., Lond. 221, 493–513 (1972).
Lømo, T. & Westgaard, R. H. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 40, 263–274 (1976).
Duchen, L. W. & Strich, S. J. Q. Jl exp. Physiol. 53, 84–89 (1968).
Brown, M. C. & Ironton, R. Nature 265, 459–461 (1977).
Holland, R. L. & Brown, M. C. Science (in the press).
Hoffman, H. Aust. J. exp. Biol. 28, 383–397 (1950).
Jones, R. & Tuffery, A.R. J. Physiol., Lond. 232, 13P–15P (1973).
Brown, M. C., Holland, R. L. & Ironton, R. Nature 275, 652–654 (1978).
Brown, M. C. & Ironton, R. J. Physiol., Lond. 272, 70P–71P (1977).
Ironton, R., Brown, M. C. & Holland, R. L. Brain Res. 156, 351–354 (1978).
Akert, K. & Sandri, C. Brain Res. 7, 286–295 (1968).
Brown, M. C., Holland, R. L. & Ironton, R. J. Physiol., Lond. 284, 177P–178P (1978).
Barker, D. & Ip, M. C. Proc. R. Soc. B163, 538–554 (1966).
Frank, E., Jansen, J. K. S., Lømo, T. & Westgaard, R. H. J. Physiol., Lond. 247, 725–743 (1975).
Jansen, J. K. S., Lømo, T., Nicolaysen, K. & Westgaard, R. H. Science 181, 559–561 (1973).
Gordon, T., Jones, R. & Vrbova, G. Prog. Neurobiol. 6, 103–136 (1976).
Cangiano, A. & Lutzemburger, L. Science 196, 542–545 (1977).
Jones, R. & Vyskócil, F. Brain Res. 88, 309–317 (1975).
Brown, M. C., Holland, R. L. & Ironton, R. J. Physiol., Lond. 291, 35P–36P (1979).
Van Harreveld, A. Am. J. Physiol. 150, 670–676 (1947).
Brown, M. C., Holland, R. L. & Ironton, R. J. Physiol., Lond. 282, 7P–8P (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brown, M., Holland, R. A central role for denervated tissues in causing nerve sprouting. Nature 282, 724–726 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/282724a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/282724a0
This article is cited by
-
Recovery from muscle weakness by exercise and FES: lessons from Masters, active or sedentary seniors and SCI patients
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research (2017)
-
Non-invasive stimulation of the vibrissal pad improves recovery of whisking function after simultaneous lesion of the facial and infraorbital nerves in rats
Experimental Brain Research (2011)
-
Low-intensity electrical stimulation ameliorates disruption of transverse tubules and neuromuscular junctional architecture in denervated rat skeletal muscle fibers
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility (2010)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.