Pattern of skeletal muscle regeneration after reautotransplantation of regenerated muscle.

Autotransplantation of rat extensor digitorum longus muscle results in initial myofibre degeneration and subsequent regeneration from precursor myosatellite cells. To determine what effect a reinjury would have on the regenerative response, in the present study, once transplanted and regenerated muscles were reinjured by reautotransplantation. In rats, four weeks after initial transplantation, when the regeneration was complete, the extensor digitorum longus muscle was transplanted again and the pattern of regeneration in reautotransplanted and once autotransplanted muscles was compared. Muscles were analysed 2, 4, 7, 14 and 30 days after autotransplantation and reautotransplantation. Both autotransplanted and reautotransplanted muscles underwent degeneration and regeneration; however, the pattern of regeneration in these two transplants was quite different. In autotransplants, a thin myogenic zone, marked by activated myoblasts, was first seen at 4 days. By 7 days the width of myogenic zone increased but still many degenerating myofibres were present in the central region of the muscle. By 14 days the muscle was filled with regenerated myotubes and myofibres. The reautotransplanted muscles underwent similar regenerative events; however, the rate of regeneration was considerably faster. The myogenic zone was apparent as early as 2 days and was much larger at 4 days, and by 7 days the entire muscle was filled with regenerated myotubes and myofibres which matured at later time intervals. Furthermore, the decrease in muscle weight in reautotransplanted muscles was not as much as that seen after autotransplantation. These findings reveal that not only is skeletal muscle capable of regeneration after a second injury, but the rate of this regeneration is much faster. This increased rate and recovery may be due to a conditioning effect of the first injury.