Immunohistochemical investigations to demonstrate vital direct traumatic damage of skeletal muscle.

The muscle proteins actin, myosin, desmin and myoglobin were investigated in traumatically damaged human and animal skeletal muscle using an immunohistochemical PAP-method. A depletion of all the proteins investigated was observed in muscle fibres damaged in the antemortem period. The antigens could however also be demonstrated in the otherwise empty sarcolemma, the discoid disintegration zones of the fibres and between the fibres. The depletion begins immediately after the trauma and myoglobin is the first to be affected. No such changes could be observed after post mortem muscle damage. The antigens could be demonstrated until 72 hours post mortem. The demonstration of protein depletion is an important addition to the light microscopical findings in vital muscle alterations.