Properties of isolated adult rat muscle fibres maintained in tissue culture.

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Abstract
Adult rat skeletal muscles were dissociated by collagenase treatment and trituration and the isolated muscle fibers were maintained in vitro for 2-3 wk. At various stages, the fibers were examined physiologically and morphologically. The isolated fibers underwent some changes characteristic of muscle denervated in vivo. Input resistance increased and extrajunctional acetylcholine (ACh) receptors appeared. The beginning stages of apparent muscle fiber fragmentation were observed. The cultured isolated fibers behaved differently than in vivo denervated fibers. Fibrillation developed only occasionally in vitro. The onset of ACh supersensitivity was slower (6 days) than after denervation in vivo (2-3 days). Some fibers developed localized regions of destriation, which apparently was due to loss of in-register alignment of myofibrils.