Optogenetic and transcriptomic interrogation of enhanced muscle function in the paralyzed mouse whisker pad.

ABSTRACT: The functional state of denervated muscle is a critical factor in the ability to restore movement after injury- or disease-related paralysis. Here we used peripheral optogenetic stimulation and transcriptome profiling in the mouse whisker system to investigate the time course of changes in neuromuscular function following complete unilateral facial nerve transection. While most skeletal muscles rapidly lose functionality after lower motor neuron denervation, optogenetic muscle stimulation of the paralyzed whisker pad revealed sustained increases in the sensitivity, velocity, and amplitude of whisker movements, and reduced fatigability, starting 48 h after denervation. RNA-seq analysis showed distinct regulation of multiple gene families in denervated whisker pad muscles compared with the a

SUBMITTER: Vajtay TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6485730 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature