[Acidic fibroblast growth factor for preventing motor endplate degeneration and muscular atrophy after motor nerve injury: a morphological and electrophysiological study].

OBJECTIVE

To explore measures to prevent motor endplate degeneration and muscular atrophy after motor nerve injury.

METHODS

Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 3 equal groups. In two of the groups, the right common peroneal nerves of the rats were transected and immediately sutured with implantation of collagen gel carrier of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) or the empty carrier into the denervated tibialis anterior muscles. In the control group, the transected nerves were sutured without implantation. Six weeks after the operation, morphological and electrophysiological examinations were performed.

RESULTS

In the control rats and those with empty collagen gel carrier implantation, obvious motor endplate degeneration and muscular atrophy occurred, which were not obvious in rats receiving aFGF carrier implantation. The decrement of repetitive nerve stimulation was significantly greater in the former two groups than in the latter.

CONCLUSION

Implantation of collagen gel carrier of aFGF may prevent motor endplate degeneration and facilitate functional recovery of the neuromuscular junction after motor nerve injury.