Structural properties of regenerating muscle and the state of thymus after laser therapy of injured muscle in different periods of regeneration

The effect of He-Ne laser (632.8 nm, 2.5–3.0 mW/cm²) on skeletal muscle regeneration proved to depend on the period of regenerating tissue exposure to the radiation. Ten 3-min exposures within 1–15 days after muscle injury at a dose of 4.5–5.4 J/cm² per each operated limb accelerated the inflammation and regeneration of the muscle. The regenerates demonstrated a more muscular structure compared to laser therapy at later periods. The load on the thymus increased, its weight and cortical layer restoration decelerated, and aplasia was observed. The same dose of laser radiation in the period of days 16–30 increased the sclerotization of regenerating muscle tissue. The reactive changes in the thymus were less pronounced, the cortical layer recovery accelerated, and the mitotic index of thymocytes considerably increased. A three times lower laser radiation dose (1.5–1.8 J/cm²) in early regeneration inhibited inflammation and growth of the connective and muscle tissues compared to control. No increase in the functional activity of thymus was observed.