Bone-muscle interactions in the muscular dystrophic mouse.

Abstract

Long bones and mandibles of 7-weeks-old dy/dy mutant mice and their normal littermates were compared. Besides marked differences in length of the bones between the two groups, small differences in shape of the long bones were also observed, whereas marked differences were present in mandibular shape. By using a baseline situated in a part of the mandible, considered to be relatively unaffected by the muscular dystrophy from which the mutant mice suffer, it was shown that the muscular processes of the mandible becomes markedly affected. However, the affection seems to be differential as the coronoid process is less affected than the angular and condylar processes.