ABSTRACT
The growth of muscle during postnatal development results partly from the proliferation of satellite cells and their fusion with muscle fibres. We analysed the properties of satellite cells in a heavyweight (HW) turkey strain characterized by high body weight and a fast growth rate, and in a lightweight farm strain (LW) characterized by low body weight and a slow growth rate. Satellite cell activation was then examined in stretched-overloaded anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle by weighting one wing in young turkeys from both strains. As early as day 1 of stretching for HW and day 2 for LW, small embryonic-like fibres expressing ventricular cardiac myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform were observed. Following four days of stretching, the number of nascent fibres had increased in both strains but was significantly greater in HW than LW ALD muscle. The proliferation and differentiation capacities of satellite cells from HW and LW strains were investigated in culture. As judged by in vitro measurements of 3H-thymidine incorporation and DNA content, satellite cells of HW turkey exhibited a greater proliferative capability than those of LW turkey. No differences in the temporal appearance of muscle markers (desmin, MHC isoforms) were noted in vitro between the two strains. These data confirm our in vivo observations indicating that selection based on growth rate does not modify muscle fibre maturation. Our in vivo and in vitro observations suggest that variations in the postnatal muscle growth pattern between HW and LW strains may be related to a difference in the capacity of their satellite cells to proliferate.
Subject(s)
Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/physiology , Muscle, Skeletal/cytology , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Turkeys/growth & development , Aging/physiology , Animals , Body Weight , Cell Differentiation , Cell Division , Cell Fusion , Cells, Cultured , DNA/analysis , DNA/biosynthesis , Male , Muscle Development , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/cytology , Muscle, Skeletal/growth & development , Myosin Heavy Chains/biosynthesis , Organ Size , Species Specificity , Turkeys/genetics , Weight-BearingABSTRACT
ALD muscle development was studied from day 2 to week 15 in males of two turkey strains. At 15 weeks, the heavy-weight (HW) strain weighted 2.2 times as much as the light-weight strain (LW). Morphometric and immunocytochemical analysis showed the presence of small fibers in HW ALD muscle which simultaneously accumulated ventricular and embryonic fast myosin heavy chain isoforms. The appearance of these nascent myofibers suggests that hyperplasia contributes to the growth of HW ALD muscle.
