# Some reminiscences on studies of age-dependent and activity-dependent degeneration of sensory and motor endings in mammalian skeletal muscle

## TL;DR

This paper reviews studies on how aging and activity affect sensory and motor endings in mammalian skeletal muscles.

## Contribution

The paper provides a historical overview of research on neuromuscular junction degeneration influenced by the author's academic background.

## Key findings

- Activity influences synapse elimination during development and regeneration.
- Activity-dependent protection and degeneration of neuromuscular junctions were observed in WldS mice.
- Neuromuscular synaptic structure and function were studied in dystrophic mice.

## Abstract

I present here an overview of research on the biology of neuromuscular sensory and motor endings that was inspired and influenced partly by my educational experience in the Department of Zoology at the University of Durham, from 1971 to 1974. I allude briefly to neuromuscular synaptic structure and function in dystrophic mice, influences of activity on synapse elimination in development and regeneration, and activity-dependent protection and degeneration of neuromuscular junctions in WldS mice.