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Muscle Target Fibres, a Newly Recognized Sign of Denervation

Abstract

THE muscle target fibre, a newly recognized sign of skeletal muscle fibre denervation, as observed in muscle biopsies from patients with neuromuscular disease, is described in this communication. From a series of forty-six biopsies showing the classic features of denervation1 (associated with a variety of diseases), 27 specimens also contained target fibres. Eight specimens had 3–10 target fibres, four had 10–20 target fibres, and fifteen had more than twenty target fibres. The presence of target fibres could not be correlated with any particular associated disease. A concurrent series of 25 muscle biopsies showing the classic features of myopathy1, associated with a variety of diseases, did not contain any target fibres. A concurrent series of 29 muscle biopsies having no pathological features did not contain any target fibres.

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ENGEL, W. Muscle Target Fibres, a Newly Recognized Sign of Denervation. Nature 191, 389–390 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/191389a0

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