PERSISTENT EXPRESSION OF TISSUE-SPECIFIC TROPONIN-T ISOFORMS IN TRANSPLANTED CHICKEN SKELETAL-MUSCLE

This study attempted to investigate the expression of skeletal muscle troponin T isoforms in chicken reared for six months after muscle tran splantations of breast muscle into leg muscle, leg muscle into breast muscle, and slow muscle into breast and leg muscles of the same animal . The regenerated muscle after transplantation was studied by histolog ical observation two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresi s, and immunoblotting with anti-troponin T antibodies. Persistent expr ession of troponin T isoforms specific to donor tissue was observed in the regenerated muscle, and compared with their expression in the nor mal developing muscles. During the regeneration, the cells grew up and expressed troponin T isoforms in a manner similar to that in normal d eveloping muscles, and on around the 178th day after the transplantati on, the regenerated muscle expressed the adult type troponin T isoform s. Based on the troponin T isoforms expressed in the transplants, we c onsider that one type of skeletal muscle has some inherent potential t o grow in and coexist with other types for a long term.