THE LEVATOR ANI MUSCLE OF THE RAT AS AN INTACT PREPARATION SUITABLE FOR IN VITRO INVESTIGATIONS

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method is described of dissecting out and incubating the levator ani muscle of immature male rats, keeping its normal connections to the rest of the perineal complex. In order to find out whether this isolated preparation remained intact with undamaged cell membranes, comparisons were made between this preparation of the levator ani muscle and a cut preparation of the same muscle, and also between the levator ani muscle and the intact and cut preparations of the diaphragm. The following determinations were made: Distribution of sucrose-14C in vivo and in vitro Distribution of inulin-14C in vitro Distribution of D-xylose-14C in vitro Total tissue water content Potassium concentration in the medium after different incubation periods. It is concluded that it is possible to dissect out the levator ani muscle with undamaged cells and that this preparation can be both suitable and useful for in vitro investigations.