F. Merly et al., COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF SATELLITE CELL PROPERTIES IN HEAVYWEIGHT AND LIGHTWEIGHT STRAINS OF TURKEY, Journal of muscle research and cell motility, 19(3), 1998, pp. 257-270
The growth of muscle during postnatal development results partly from
the proliferation of satellite cells and their fusion with muscle fibr
es. We analysed the properties of satellite cells in a heavyweight (HW
) turkey strain characterized by high body weight and a fast growth ra
te, and in a lightweight farm strain (LW) characterized by low body we
ight and a slow growth rate. Satellite cell activation was then examin
ed in stretched-overloaded anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle by w
eighting 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 e
xpressing ventricular cardiac myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform were ob
served. Following four days of stretching, the number of nascent fibre
s had increased in both strains but was significantly greater in HW th
an LW ALD muscle. The proliferation and differentiation capacities of
satellite cells from HW and LW strains were investigated in culture. A
s judged by in vitro measurements of H-3-thymidine incorporation and D
NA content, satellite cells of HW turkey exhibited a greater prolifera
tive capability than those of LW turkey. No differences in the tempora
l appearance of muscle markers (desmin, MHC isoforms) were noted in be
tween the two strains. These data confirm our in observations indicati
ng vitro vivo that selection based on growth rate does not modify musc
le fibre maturation. Our in and in observations suggest vivo vitro tha
t variations in the postnatal muscle growth pattern between HW and LW
strains may be related to a difference in the capacity of their satell
ite cells to proliferate. (C) Chapman & Hall Ltd.