Skeletal Muscle Transplantation in Cats With and Without Nerve Repair

Abstract

The regeneration of skeletal muscle fibers following free, whole muscle auto-transplantation has been well documented in rats (Carlson and Gutmann, 1975a und b). Neither vascular nor nerve repair was made, so revascularization and reinnervation occurred spontaneously or not at all. The time course of regeneration and the degree to which control values are restored have been described (Carlson et al., 1979). A limited number of studies have focused on the regeneration of skeletal muscle fibers following transplantation of skeletal muscles in larger species. Successful transplantations have been reported in cats (Hakelius et al., 1975; Faulkner et al., 1976; Maxwell et al., 1978; Faulkner et al., 1980) and monkeys (Markley et al., 1978; Markley and Faulkner, 1980; Maxwell et al., 1979). In dogs, Thompson (1971) has reported successful grafts whereas Lavine and Cochran (1976) and Watson and Muir (1976) described unsuccessful transplantations.