The human muscle-tendon junction. A morphological study during normal growth and at maturity.

The myotendon junction of human paravertebral skeletal muscle was studied by light and electron microscopy. Transverse and longitudinal sections of myotendinous regions of normal multifidus muscles were examined at three chronological stages from birth to maturity. Variations in the appearance of surface extensions at the terminal ends of muscle fibers consisted of brush-like evaginations at birth and villous-like projections in the adult. Regardless of age, they were invariably covered by a prominent external lamina, and mutually interdigitated with connective-tissue elements in the adjacent tendon. Various stages of myofibrillar assembly and sarcomere alignment were evident in the muscle fiber terminus at birth. With advancing age, splitting of terminal sarcomeres at Z bands commonly gave rise to diverging myofilament bundles that attached to electron-dense patches under the sarcolemma. In these regions, leptomeric organelles were also encountered in neonatal and adolescent myotendons. At all stages, the ends of muscle fibers possessed cytological features consistent with active synthesis and secretion. Densely-packed sarcoplasmic organelles including multiple Golgi complexes, clusters of ribosomes, mitochondria, cytoplasmic vesicles, and elements of rough- and smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum were prevalent. Peripheral and centrally-placed heterochromatic nuclei with prominent nucleoli were arranged singly or in groups at the ends of muscle fibers. Satellite cell profiles and unmyelinated axons in the subjacent tendon were also identified at these sites in the adult. Fibroblasts in growing tendon were plentiful, and at all stages, possessed morphological features indicative of high metabolic and secretory activities.