Journal
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE METHODS
Volume 227, Issue -, Pages 159-165Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.02.005
Keywords
Lower motor neuron; Lumbrical muscle; Neurodegeneration; Neurodevelopment; Neuromuscular disease; Neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
Categories
Funding
- Somerville College, Oxford
- Fulford Junior Research Fellowship
- Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
- French Muscular Dystrophy Association (AFM)
- Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
- SMA Trust
- National Institutes of Health [NS054154, NS079677]
- Medical Research Council [G0601887] Funding Source: researchfish
- MRC [G0601887] Funding Source: UKRI
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background: The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialised synapse formed between a lower motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fibre, and is an early pathological target in numerous nervous system disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Being able to accurately visualise and quantitatively characterise the NMJ in rodent models of neurological conditions, particularly during the early stages of disease, is thus of clear importance. New method: We present a method for dissection of rodent deep lumbrical muscles located in the hindpaw, and describe how to perform immunofluorescent morphological analysis of their NMJs. Results: These techniques allow the temporal assessment of a number of developmental and pathological NMJ phenotypes in lumbrical muscles. Comparison with existing methods: Small muscles, such as the distal hind-limb lumbrical muscles, possess a major advantage over larger muscles, such as gastrocnemius, in that they can be whole-mounted and the entire innervation pattern visualised. This reduces preparation time and ambiguity when evaluating important neuromuscular phenotypes. Conclusions: Together, these methods will allow the reader to perform a detailed and accurate analysis of the neuromuscular system in rodent models of disease in order to identify pertinent features of neuropathology. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available