Basal lamina development in chicken muscle spindles.

The development of basal laminas was examined in immunohistochemical sections of chicken leg muscle spindles from embryonic day (E) 13 to 8 weeks postnatal. Fragments of basal laminas as seen with immunostaining for isoforms of laminin were already observed in E6 muscles. When clusters of intrafusal myotubes were first recognized at E13-14, they were surrounded by basal laminas which were incomplete both in terms of coverage and molecular composition. More mature basal lamina tubes individually enclosed young myofibers at E18. After afferents made contact with myotubes, synaptic portions of basal laminas at myosensory junctions reacted strongly with antibodies against s-laminin and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, while extrasynaptic portions were negative or reacted only weakly. At synaptic basal laminas of neuromuscular junctions heparin sulfate proteoglycan and s-laminin became prominent after E16. Contrary to the early presence of basal lamina proteins around intrafusal fibers, initial deposition of basal lamina proteins in the outer spindle capsule was not recognized until E17-18, and significant amounts were not detected until postnatal week 1. Unlike intrafusal basal laminas, capsular basal laminas developed no distinct specialized regions; however, molecular compositions of intrafusal and capsular basal laminas were similar.