Myoneural interactions affect diaphragm muscle adaptations to inactivity. Miyata, Hirofumi, Wen-Zhi Zhan, Y. S. Prakash, and Gary C. Sieck. Departments of Anaesthesiology and Physiology & Biophysics, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical School, Rochester Minnesota 55905
APStracts 2:0276A, 1995.
We hypothesized that inactivity effects on diaphragm (DIA) muscle contractile and morphometric properties are attenuated if phrenic motoneurons are also inactive. Three models of rat DIA inactivity were compared: 1) Spinal isolation (SI); 2) Tetrodotoxin (TTX) nerve blockade; and 3) Denervation (DNV). Motoneuron and muscle fiber inactivities were matched only in SI animals. After 2 weeks, maximum tetanic force decreased in all three groups compared to controls (CTL), but to a greater extent in TTX and DNV animals. Fatigue resistance improved and maximum unloaded shortening velocity slowed only in TTX and DNV groups. Type IIa fiber proportions decreased in all three groups and type IIx fiber proportions increased in TTX and DNVanimals. Type I fiber CSA increased in all three groups, but to a greater extent in TTX and DNV animals. Type IIa fibers hypertrophied while type IIx and IIb fibers atrophied only in TTX and DNV groups. These results support the hypothesis that muscle adaptations to prolonged inactivity are attenuated when muscle fiber and motoneuron inactivities are matched.

Received 10 March 1995; accepted in final form 14 June 1995.
APS Manuscript Number A268-5.
Article publication pending Journal of Applied Physiology.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 11 July 1995.