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The fate of emerin during skeletal muscle regeneration was investigated in an animal model by means of crush injury. Immunofluorescence, immunoblotting and mRNA analysis demonstrated that emerin level is increased in regenerating rat muscle fibers with respect to normal mature myofibers. This finding suggests an involvement of emerin during the muscle fiber regeneration process, in analogy with its reported involvement in muscle cell differentiation in vitro. The impairment of skeletal muscle physiological regeneration or reorganization could be a possible pathogenetic mechanism for Emery Dreifuss muscular dystrophy.

The present report describes the effect of 50 to 2500 rad of /sup 60/Co gamma rays on the membrane receptors of B and T lymphocytes. Surface membrane immunoglobulins and Fc receptors were used as markers for B cells, while the formation of rosettes with sheep red blood cells was used as a marker for T cells. The effect of radiation is expressed as the percentage of viable cells that bear membrane receptors. The radiation effects were studied after 2, 24, 36 hr of culture. For B lymphocytes no reduction in SmIg and Fc receptors was seen 2 hr after radiation, whereas a dose-related reduction was observed after 24 and 36 hr. A dose-related inhibition of the ''capping'' of SmIg was observed. For T lymphocytes a reduction of E rosette formation was seen starting 2 hr after irradiation. Electron microscopy of separated B and T cells showed a higher sensitivity of T cells as well as a different structural arrangement of the chromatin as a consequence of radiation damage. These data suggest differentiated behavior of B and T lymphocyte membrane receptors after exposure to radiation.