- THE EFFECT OF DENERVATION ON THE REGENERATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE AFTER INJURY

In 1865 Waldeyer pointed out that regeneration of skeletal muscle can occur after injury. Since then, others have shown that muscle regeneration may follow various types of damage including trauma (Weber 1867, Neumann 1868), ischaemia (Clark and Blomfield 1945), and toxic degeneration (Hoffman 1867, Forbus 1926). More recently the details of the histological processes involved have been described by Clark (1946). Although it has been established that some degree of muscle repair can take place in the complete absence of innervation, as in the case of transplanted muscle tissue (Jores 1909, Clark 1 946) , the present investigation was undertaken to compare the histological processes and end-result of regeneration of completely denervated muscle with the corresponding findings in innervated muscle. It is of some clinical importance to know the response of denervated muscle to injury. In some types of peripheral nerve injury, and in other lesions affecting the lower motor neuron, muscle may be denervated for long periods. Can it be expected that the denervated muscle will show an unusual response to trauma? The delicacy with which denervated muscle has been treated in the past seems to be based on a vague assumption that it is eithe