Free autografting of entire limb muscles in the cat: histochemistry and biochemistry.

Fifty extensor digitorium longus muscles of 25 cats were autografted, 33 with and 17 without prior denervation. After 50 days, no significant differences were observed between predenervated and nonpredenervated autografts. Autografted muscles weighed 48% of the weight of control muscles. Few original muscle fibers survived and within 2 wk autografts contained regenerating muscle fibers. The mean cross-sectional area of muscle fibers in the autografts reached 125% of the value for control nontransplanted muscles. The mean percentage of fibers classified high oxidative in autografted muscles was 67% of values for control muscles. SDH activity of autografted muscle homogenates reached 55% of control values. Up to 60 days after surgery autografts had only fast-twitch fibers. At 170 days autografts remained 95% fast twitch in composition. Revascularization began within 4 days, but the capillary to fiber ratio of long term autografts reached only 60% of control values. Although fiber hypertrophy suggests that cats use autografted muscles, lower than control succinate dehydrogenase activity may result from altered recruitment.