Mantilla Carlos B, Sieck Gary C
Dept. of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008 Jun;104(6):1818-27. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01192.2007. Epub 2008 Apr 10.
At the time of birth, respiratory muscles must be activated to sustain ventilation. The perinatal development of respiratory motor units (comprising an individual motoneuron and the muscle fibers it innervates) shows remarkable features that enable mammals to transition from in utero conditions to the air environment in which the remainder of their life will occur. In addition, significant postnatal maturation is necessary to provide for the range of motor behaviors necessary during breathing, swallowing, and speech. As the main inspiratory muscle, the diaphragm muscle (and the phrenic motoneurons that innervate it) plays a key role in accomplishing these behaviors. Considerable diversity exists across diaphragm motor units, but the determinant factors for this diversity are unknown. In recent years, the mechanisms underlying the development of respiratory motor units have received great attention, and this knowledge may provide the opportunity to design appropriate interventions for the treatment of respiratory disease not only in the perinatal period but likely also in the adult.
出生时，呼吸肌必须被激活以维持通气。呼吸运动单位（由单个运动神经元及其所支配的肌纤维组成）的围产期发育具有显著特征，使哺乳动物能够从子宫内环境过渡到其余生所处的空气环境。此外，出生后显著的成熟对于提供呼吸、吞咽和言语所需的一系列运动行为是必要的。作为主要的吸气肌，膈肌（以及支配它的膈运动神经元）在完成这些行为中起关键作用。膈肌运动单位存在相当大的多样性，但这种多样性的决定因素尚不清楚。近年来，呼吸运动单位发育的潜在机制受到了极大关注，这方面的知识可能为设计合适的干预措施提供机会，不仅用于治疗围产期的呼吸系统疾病，也可能用于治疗成人的呼吸系统疾病。
