Alterations of PKC theta, NF-kappa B, and AP-1 in Ischemic-reperfused Tibialis Anterior and Soleus Muscles of Rats / 체질인류학회지

Ischemic-reperfusion injury of skeletal muscles takes place in the phase of reperfusion and induces cellular damages through activating various transcription factors and genes, which initiate signal transduction. The purpose of this study was to observe changes of expression of NF-kappa B and AP-1, which are known as a redox sensitive transcription factors in ischemic-reperfused rat skeletal muscles, and PKC theta which activate NF-kappa B and AP-1. Sprague-Dawley male rats of nine, thirty, and sixty-five weeks old were divided into control and ischemia groups. Ischemia was performed by occlusion of left common iliac artery for 4 hours using rodent vascular clamps. The animals were sacrificed at hours 0, 1, 3 and 6 after onset of reperfusion and tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were removed. The distributions of PKC theta, NF-kappa B, and AP-1 immunoreactivity (IMR) were examined using immunohistochemical methods. The results as follows; In control groups, PKC theta IMR was decreased with age and was higher in tibialis anterior than that in soleus muscles. In ischemia groups, PKC theta IMR was increased with age and was higher in soleus than that in tibialis anterior muscles. In control groups, NF-kappa B IMR was decreased with age. In ischemia groups, NF-kappa B IMR was increased with age and was higher in soleus than that in tibialis anterior muscles. In control groups, AP-1 IMR was decreased with age. In ischemia groups, AP-1 IMR was increased with age and was higher in tibialis anterior than that in soleus muscles. Increase or decrease of PKC theta IMR was associated with the increase or decrease of NF-kappa B and AP-1 IMR in ischemic-reperfused rat skeletal muscles, respectively. These results suggested that the increased expression of PKC theta may induce the upregulations of NF-kappa B and AP-1 in ischemic-reperfusion injury of rat skeletal muscle. It is also suggested that the ischemic injury may be increased with age, and tibialis anterior muscle is more susceptabile to ischemic-reperfusion injury than soleus muscle.

Anthropometric Study on Neurovascular Supply of the Gracilis Muscle in Korean / 체질인류학회지

Gracilis muscle, the most superficial to the adductor groups of muscles in the thigh, is widely used to make musculo-cutaneous flap because this muscle has several advantages; 1) Removal of the muscle does not elicit any functional deficit, 2) It is easy to make a flap, 3) It is able to make flaps of various sizes in according to the size of the wound. This study demonstrates the characteristics of the arterial supply of the gracilis muscle for flap. Total 102 thighs from 51 Korean cadavers (32 males/ 19 females), clinically normal and without deformity, were dissected and length and width of gracilis muscles were measured. The pattern of distribution of the arteries supplying the muscle were studied, and entering point of each arteries to the muscle were located in according to following point; A: Pubic tubercle, B: Medial condyle of femur and tibia on gracilis muscle. 1. The average width of gracilis muscle were 31.9 +/-8.1 mm. The length of female subjects was significantly shorter than that of male subjects. 2. Arteries supplying the gracilis muscle were obturator artery (11.0%), medial circumflex femoral artery (100%), first muscular branch of femoral artery (100%), second muscular branch of femoral artery (45.2%), third muscular branch of femoral artery (17.8%), and popliteal artery (9.6%). 3. Medial circumflex femoral artery had 1 -10 pedicles and divided into ascending, transverse and descending branches. The existence of ascending branches were 14.8%, the ascending and descending branches were 22.7%, the ascending, transverse and descending branches were 22.7%, the transverse and descending branches were 22.0%, and the only descending branches were 22.0%. 4. The frist muscular branch of femoral artery pierced the gracilis muscle at a distance which represented 61.9 +/-12.8% of the length from A to B. The external diameter were 1.4 +/-0.4 mm. 5. Obturator nerves reached the gracilis muscle at a distance which represented 29.0 +/-7.4% of the length from A to B. The maximum external width and length were 1.0 +/-0.4 mm and 59.7 +/-25.0 mm, respectively. In conclusion, the length and width of the gracilis muscle in Korean were different depending on gender. These data also provides the anatomical characteristics of the arterial supply of the gracilis muscle in Korean in clinical relevance with musculocutaneous flap

Characteristics and Arterial Distribution of Rectus Femoris Muscle in Korean / 체질인류학회지

Free -flap which is transferred to recipients is a thin flat tissue isolated from human body and nutrient vessel of free - flap is ligated with similarly sized vessel. Free -flap reconstruction is widely used, due to high rate of flap survival and functional refinements, although it gives disadvantage of long surgery time and inefficient adaptation. This study demonstrates the characteristics and arterial supply of rectus femoris muscle of thigh. Seventy thighs (35 right, 35 left) of the 35 cadavers (19 males/16 females) which were clinically normal and without deformity were dissected and measured, according to Martin measurements. 1. The average length and width of rectus femoris muscle were 396.7 +/-39.9 mm and 36.5 +/-7.9 mm, respectively. The length of female subjects was significantly different from that of male subjects (P 0.05). 2. In the origin and insertion of rectus femoris muscle, anterior tendon and posterior tendon were not different between female and male subjects. 3. Artery of the rectus femoris muscle arises from deep femoral artery. The length of pedicle from the entering point of the rectus femoris muscle was average 19.0 +/-11.9 mm. The length from the entering point of the rectus femoris muscle to spliting point was 13.7 +/-7.7 mm of P1, 12.6 +/-7.5 mm of P2, and 14.8 +/-11.63 mm of P3 pedicles. 4. The frequency of the blood vessels inserted into the rectus femoris muscle was the first highest at the portion of 32.5 ~35% and the second highest of 35 ~37.5% and 37.5 ~40% ranges, when anterior superior iliac spine from center of the patellar was considered as 100% of portion. 5. According to the method by Kimata et al. (1998) classifying perforators based on the anatomic variations, type 1 and VIII were 83.58% and 5.97% respectively. Type 5, 6 and 7 were not observed. 6. Femoral nerves inserted into the rectus femoris muscle were distributed within 7.5 ~45% portion when anterior superior iliac spine from center of the patella was converted into 100%. The portion of 17.5 ~20% had the highest frequency of nerves. In conclusion, length of the rectus femoris muscle in Korean were different depending on gender, whereas tendon lengths were not. These data demonstrate artery pattern in Korean and provide anatomical potential for rectus femoris muscle to be used as a free -flap muscle.