ACETYLCHOLINE CONTRACTURE OF DENERVATED MUSCLE

Abstract

A study was made of the isometric tensions developed by normal and denervated rats'' gastrocnemii in response to adjacent and remote acetyl-choline injs. and electrical stimulation. The sensitivity of such denervated muscles to remote acetylcholine injs. was also detd. The normal muscle did not respond to remote acetylcholine injs. As denervation atrophy progressed, the tension developed on adjacent acetylcholine inj. and electrical stimulation decreased, while the tension developed in response to remote acetylcholine inj. increased. The tension developed on remote acetylcholine inj. is evidently the result of activation of fibers physiologically different from the bulk of those activated by direct electrical stimulation.