Fig. 8From: VAChT overexpression increases acetylcholine at the synaptic cleft and accelerates aging of neuromuscular junctionsAnalysis of muscle fibers in young adult and old VAChTHyp mice. Muscle fibers were examined in VAChTHyp and control mice. Muscle fibers in the TA muscle were stained with an antibody against laminin to visualize their size (red) and labeled with the nuclei marker, DAPI (green), to determine if muscle fibers had undergone bouts of degeneration and regeneration (a, b). Images are from 19-month-old mice. The size of muscle fibers is similar in 5-month-old control and VAChTHyp mice (c, e). However, muscle fibers are smaller in 19-month-old VAChTHyp mice (d, e). There are also no significant differences in the number of muscle fibers with centrally located myonuclei between 19-month-old VAChTHyp control mice (f). At least four female mice per genotype maintained on a C57BL/6 background were used to compare transcript levels. Scale bar = 20 μm. Error bar = Standard Error. *P value <0.05Back to article page