Tucson AZ 85721.
Grasshoppers are able to shed a hind-limb by autotomy.
Following autotomy the grasshopper, Barytettix psolus , exhibits severe atrophy of undamaged, fully innervated thoracic muscles. We use this model to study the changes in electrophysiological properties of muscle during trans-neuronally induced atrophy. Beginning 3 days post-autotomy, muscle cells demonstrate increased membrane excitability. Supported by NSF IBN 9210394.