Sympathetic innervation in skeletal muscle and its role at the neuromuscular junction

• Published in: Journal of muscle research and cell motility Vol. 45; no. 2; pp. 79 - 86
• Main Authors: Rudolf, Rüdiger, Kettelhut, Isis C., Navegantes, Luiz Carlos C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.06.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adrenergic receptors; Animal Anatomy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood pressure; Catecholamines; Cell Biology; Congenital diseases; Histology; Innervation; Life Sciences; Metabolism; Mini Review; Morphology; Motility; Motor neurons; Musculoskeletal system; Nervous system; Neuromodulation; Neuromuscular junctions; Neurosciences; Physiology; Proteomics; Schwann cells; Skeletal muscle; Synapses; Adrenoceptor; Neuromuscular junction; Acetylcholine receptor; Sympathetic
• ISSN: 0142-4319; 1573-2657
• DOI: 10.1007/s10974-024-09665-9

Neuromuscular junctions are the synapses between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, which mediate voluntary muscle movement. Since neuromuscular junctions are also tightly associated with the capping function of terminal Schwann cells, these synapses have been classically regarded as tripartite chemical synapses. Although evidences from sympathetic innervation of neuromuscular junctions was described approximately a century ago, the essential presence and functional relevance of sympathetic contribution to the maintenance and modulation of neuromuscular junctions was demonstrated only recently. These findings shed light on the pathophysiology of different clinical conditions and can optimize surgical and clinical treatment modalities for skeletal muscle disorders.