Quantitative alterations of intramuscular connective tissue in calf muscles of the rat during combined hypoxia and hypokinesia.

The investigations were designed to study the long-term effect of hypoxia, hypokinesia and of combined hypokinesia and hypoxia on the skeletal muscle in the rat. In the muscles of the hypoxic and hypokinetic animals serious degenerative changes were found and the fibre-type ratio was altered. In the hypoxic animals moderate fibrosis was revealed. In the hypokinetic, and hypokinetic + hypoxic animals the amount of connective tissue was 5 to 10-fold greater in the calf muscles as compared to the control.