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Franz S.F. Mong, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Telephone: 713.500.4515
E-mail: franz.s.mong@uth.tmc.edu

Dendrites of Motoneurons, Muscle Regeneration

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My research area has been neuromuscular relation. Initially, the work was to study whether skeletal muscle could regenerate after trauma such as denervation, ischemia, and mechanical injuries (mincing or transplantation). The results showed that skeletal muscle could regenerate if all conditions are met such as revisualization initially and the presence of nerve fibers subsequently. Further studies also showed that regenerated muscles could regenerate again if the same conditions were available. The source of regenerated muscle fibers were the so-called satellite cells, the dormant and reserved cells within the endomysium of skeletal muscle fibers. And the regenerating processes are to recapitulate the ontogenic development of skeletal muscle fibers. When   retrograde labeling techniques using the principle of axoplasmic flow were available, the research   works were extended to the study of dendritic   ramifications of motoneurons innervating skeletal muscles. Thus, when horse reddish peroxidase (HRP) were injected (specifically, the cholera-toxin conjugated HRP) into the so-called fast (white) and slow (red) muscles, the dendritic ramifications of their motoneurons were studied in the ventral horn of spinal cords. These works showed that the dendrites of slow motoneurons are far more extensive than that of fast motoneurons. Another fact is that the levator ani ( L.A.)  Muscles in rats are very sensitive to the levels of testosterone. Castration will lead to the degeneration of such muscle while injection of testosterone will restore the muscle to normal in castrated rats. Continued works will be carried out to examine whether hormonal changes will lead to the morphological changes of motoneurons innervating skeletal muscles.

My teaching responsibilities are primarily teaching Gross Anatomy to Medical and Dental students. For more than 25 years, I have taught all levels of health science students I have also taught Histology and Oral Histology and have participated teaching of Embryology and Neuroanatomy. I anticipate joining members of the Department teaching Gross Anatomy and continue teaching students in Dental Branch. I will also help prepare anatomical specimens, which are of great help in learning Gross Anatomy.

Selected Reading

Mong, FSF, Poland, JL. (1982) Free muscle transplantation-Progress, Problems, and Potentials. IRCS Medical Sciences: Forum 10:81-85.

Mong, FSF, Farach, MC, Martinez, M. (1982) Pattern of acetylcholine receptor activity during regeneration of free muscle transplants in rats. J.Neurosci. Res. 8:27-33.

Mong, FSF, Chen, YC, Lu, CH. (1988) Dendritic ramifications of trigeminal motoneurons innervating jaw-closing muscles of rats.  J. Neurol.Sci. 86:251-263

Mong, FSF, Chen, YC, Lu, CH. (1990) Dendritic ramifications of motoneurons innervating fast and slow muscles of hind limbs of rats. J.fur Hirnforschung 31(2): 259-267.

Search PubMed for additional articles.