Effects of short-term denervation on avian muscle spindle structure.

The role of the nerve in maintaining the ultrastructural integrity of avian muscle spindles was investigated by denervating the pigeon's extensor digitorum communis for periods of 10, 19, and 28 days. The equatorial region of control intrafusal fibers had a reduced density of myofilaments. Sensory endings contained mitochondria and structures resembling synaptic vesicles, and were associated with satellite cells. In the polar region, fibers had a high concentration of myofilaments; small motor endings, unlike sensory endings, lay outside of the fiber's basal lamina. The outer capsule consisted of thin, tightly layered cells which gradually became reduced in number distal to the equatorial region. In both equatorial and polar regions the capsule became more disrupted with longer denervation periods, and lysosomes and phagocytes became more abundant. The equatorial region of denervated fibers contained many myofibrils and some had peripherally-located nuclei, unlike the controls; sensory terminals were absent. The polar region of some fibers had disorganized myofilaments and others had a reduced myofilament density. Fiber diameters increased significantly in both regions. Thus, denervated intrafusal fibers lost some characteristics which distinguish them from extrafusal fibers.