Denervation, reinnervation, and regeneration of skeletal muscle.

This paper reviews the responses of skeletal muscle tissue to denervation, with emphasis on the area of neuromuscular junction. In reinnervation, neuromuscular synapses are formed preferentially at the site of the old motor end plate, but the de novo synthesis of new neuromuscular junctions is possible. Skeletal muscle has a good regenerative capacity, and a regenerating muscle fiber can, essentially, return to original structure and functional ability.