Delay of Hereditary Muscular Dystrophy of the Chicken by Oxygen Therapy: Histology

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Abstract
Normal chickens and chickens with hereditary muscular dystrophy were raised in 70 + 5% O2 from the 19th day of development until 6 weeks of age. They were then sacrificed and the breast muscles were examined grossly and histologically. No differences were found in the muscles of normal chicks raised in the high O2 environment when compared to those of normal chicks raised in a normal environment. Dystrophic chicks raised in a normal environment showed gross and microscopic alterations in the muscle vasculature. In addition, the muscle exhibited severe degeneration, including nuclear proliferation, alteration in fiber size, hypertrophy and necrosis. Dystrophic chicks raised in 70 [plus or minus] 5% O2 exhibited some nuclear proliferation but other cytological alterations were minimal. Gross changes in the vasculature did not appear normal. Continuous O2 therapy retards the progress of the hereditary myopathy and that oxygen therapy may be effective due to early vascular changes in dystrophic muscle.

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