Biomaterial Database

Stages in fibre breakdown in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. An electron-microscopic study. 1975

M J Cullen, and J J Fulthorpe

A scheme is presented which divides the process of fibre breakdown in Duchenne muscular dystrophy into 5 sequential stages. In Stage 1 the fibre appears superficially normal although there are subtle changes in the relative volumes of the fibre components. In Stage 2 localised overcontraction of the myofibrils results in excessive stretching of the sarcomeres in other regions of the fibre. This continuing process results in the formation of contraction clumps in which the contractile filaments form an increasingly homogeneous mass. By the final stage the normal structural features of the fibre have completely disappeared and it is invaded by macrophages. It is suggested that the central process of myofibril clumping results from a localised inability of the sarcomeres to relax which implies a defect in the mitochondria, Z-line or sarcoplasmic reticulum. This is discussed in relation to other workers' findings of a decrease in the calcium-accumulating capacity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008055	Lipids	A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. They comprise the fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, aminolipids, chromolipids (lipochromes), and fatty acids. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Lipid
D008264	Macrophages	The relatively long-lived phagocytic cell of mammalian tissues that are derived from blood MONOCYTES. Main types are PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES; ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES; HISTIOCYTES; KUPFFER CELLS of the liver; and OSTEOCLASTS. They may further differentiate within chronic inflammatory lesions to EPITHELIOID CELLS or may fuse to form FOREIGN BODY GIANT CELLS or LANGHANS GIANT CELLS. (from The Dictionary of Cell Biology, Lackie and Dow, 3rd ed.)	Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophages,Macrophage,Macrophages, Monocyte-Derived,Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages,Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophage,Macrophage, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophage, Monocyte-Derived,Macrophages, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophages, Monocyte Derived,Monocyte Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophage
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008870	Microtubules	Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS.	Microtubule
D008931	Mitochondria, Muscle	Mitochondria of skeletal and smooth muscle. It does not include myocardial mitochondria for which MITOCHONDRIA, HEART is available.	Sarcosomes,Mitochondrion, Muscle,Muscle Mitochondria,Muscle Mitochondrion,Sarcosome
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009136	Muscular Dystrophies	A heterogeneous group of inherited MYOPATHIES, characterized by wasting and weakness of the SKELETAL MUSCLE. They are categorized by the sites of MUSCLE WEAKNESS; AGE OF ONSET; and INHERITANCE PATTERNS.	Muscular Dystrophy,Myodystrophica,Myodystrophy,Dystrophies, Muscular,Dystrophy, Muscular,Myodystrophicas,Myodystrophies
D009210	Myofibrils	The long cylindrical contractile organelles of STRIATED MUSCLE cells composed of ACTIN FILAMENTS; MYOSIN filaments; and other proteins organized in arrays of repeating units called SARCOMERES .	Myofilaments,Myofibril,Myofilament