The growth of nerves in relation to the formation of premuscle cell masses in the developing chick forelimb.

A description is given of the growth of segmental nerves 13 to 16 (SN13 to SN16) from the brachial myotomes into the ventral and dorsal premuscle cell masses of the chick forelimb. At stage 25 (Hamburger and Hamilton, '51), segmental nerves have converged to form two nerve trunks which enter the ventral and dorsal premuscle cell masses. These nerves grow into the limb, parallel to its proximodistal axis. The nerve trunk in the ventral compartment, the brachialis longus inferior (bli n), grows on the brachial artery as far as the metacarpals. The nerve trunk in the dorsal compartment, the brachialis longus superior (bls n), grows on the precartilage adjacent to a dorsal premuscle density as far as the metacarpals. The brachialis longus inferior and superior nerve trunks give rise to a number of nerves during their growth to the metacarpals. Each of these nerves appears at the time of formation of a new premuscle cell density. At late stage 25, a posterior and ventral premuscle density forms in the middle of the stylopodium; posterior fascicles of the bli n diverge at this level and grow toward this new density to form the ulnar nerve. By stage 26 a posterior and ventral premuscle density is prominent over the bli n, at the junction of the stylopodium and the zeugopodium; ventral fascicles of the bli n grow into this density to form the flexor digitorum profundus nerve. At this stage a posterior and dorsal premuscle density forms just beyond the junction of the stylopodium and zeugopodium. Posterior fascicles of the bls n diverge at this level and grow toward this density to form a nerve from which the extensor metacarpi ulnaris, extensor digitorum communis, and radialis laterialis nerves are destined to form. At stage 29 the premuscle cell masses of the autopodium have formed. The remaining nerve fascicles comprising the bls n (the radialis profundus nerve) grow into the autopodium and branch to innervate each of the dorsal premuscles. The remaining nerve fascicles comprising the bli n (the middle nerve) grow into the autopodium and branch to innervate each of the ventral premuscles.