The lateral thoracic nerve and the cutaneous maximus muscle—A novel in vivo model system for nerve degeneration and regeneration studies

We report a novel in vivo mouse model system to study regeneration of injured motor nerve and spatiotemporal pattern of denervation in experimental nerve diseases. The lateral thoracic nerve (LTN), as a pure motor nerve, innervates the cutaneous maximus muscle (CMM) by some of the shortest and the longest motor nerve fibers in the mouse body. Its branches and nerve terminals can be imaged in whole mount preparations. Here we describe the branching pattern of the LTN and its innervation of the CMM, and characterize degeneration and regeneration over time after a LTN crush by morphological and electrophysiological analyses. We demonstrate the utility of this model in a well-established neurotoxicity paradigm and in a genetic disease model of the peripheral neuropathy. Furthermore, this system enables punch biopsies that allow repeated and multi-location examinations for LTN regeneration and CMM reinnervation over time. The presence of the LTN and the CMM in a variety of species and its easy accessibility suggests that this in vivo model system offers considerable promise for future nerve degeneration and regeneration research.

► Evaluation of nerve degeneration and regeneration is difficult in rodents.
► We developed a new model of nerve degeneration and regeneration.
► This new model uses lateral thoracic nerve (LTN) and cutaneous maximus muscle (CMM).
► Degeneration and regeneration of LTN can be monitored both temporally and spatially.
► The LTN–CMM is suitable for both regeneration and degeneration studies.