Experimental glycerol myopathy: a histological study.

Histopathological changes induced by the intramuscular injection of glycerol were studied in the muscle fibers of rabbits. Fifteen minutes after the injection of 1 ml of 50% (v/v) glycerol, hypercontraction of fibers, disruption of the plasma membrane, and invasion of lanthanum into the sarcoplasm were observed. Between 12 and 24 h after the injection, more extensive pathological changes were seen which included: variation in fiber size; degeneration and necrosis of muscle fibers; hypercontraction of fibers by light microscopy; disruption of the plasma membrane by electron microscopy; vacuolar changes; hypercontraction of myofibrils, and selective loss of Z-bands. Between 7 and 14 days after glycerol injection, extensive regenerative changes were seen. The degenerative changes were similar to those seen in muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, suggesting that a similar mechanism may be involved in the two conditions, so that experimental glycerol myopathy could be a good model for pathophysiological studies on Duchenne muscular dystrophy.