Regeneration fo the completely excised gastrocnemius muscle in the frog and rat from minced muscle fragments

In 85 frogs and 29 rats, the entire gastrocnemius muscle was removed. After removal of as much connective tissue as possible, about two-thirds of the remaining muscle was finely minced with a scissors. These minced fragments were orthotopically re-implanted, and the overlying skin was sutured. As the implanted muscle fragments degenerate, new muscle fibers appears in the regenerate. The proportion of connective tissue to muscle is usually greater than normal especially in the frog. Grossly, normal relationships are established with the cut ends of the Achilles and proximal tendons, as well as with the blood vessels and nerves. The total diameter of the regenerated muscle is almost always less than half of that seen in normal muscles. Regeneration of muscle is much more extensive in the rat than in the frog, and it occurs almost twice as rapidly. The histology of the regenerative process is described for both the frog and the rat.     

Seasonal variations of cellular stress response in the heart and gastrocnemius muscle of the water frog (Pelophylax ridibundus)

The present study aimed to investigate the seasonal cellular stress response in the heart and the gastrocnemius muscle of the amphibian Pelophylax ridibundus (former name Rana ridibunda) during an 8 month acclimatization period in the field. Processes studied included heat shock protein expression and protein kinase activation. The cellular stress response was addressed through the expression of Hsp70 and Hsp90 and the phosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinases and particularly p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK-1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK1/2/3). Due to a general metabolic depression during winter hibernation, the induction of Hsp70 and Hsp90 and the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, JNKs and ERKs are retained at low levels of expression in the examined tissues of P. ridibundus. Recovery from hibernation induces increased levels of the specific proteins, probably providing stamina to the animals during their arousal.