Early stages of myogenesis in a large mammal: formation of successive generations of myotubes in sheep tibialis cranialis muscle

Network visualization of genes involved in skeletal muscle myogenesis in livestock animals

BACKGROUND

Muscle growth post-birth relies on muscle fiber number and size. Myofibre number, metabolic and contractile capacities are established pre-birth during prenatal myogenesis. The aim of this study was to identify genes involved in skeletal muscle development in cattle, sheep, and pigs - livestock.

RESULTS

The cattle analysis showed significant differences in 5043 genes during the 135-280 dpc period. In sheep, 444 genes differed significantly during the 70-120 dpc period. Pigs had 905 significantly different genes for the 63-91 dpc period.The biological processes and KEGG pathway enrichment results in each species individually indicated that DEGs in cattle were significantly enriched in regulation of cell proliferation, cell division, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, and signaling pathways (PI3K-Akt, PPAR, MAPK, AMPK, Ras, Rap1); in sheep - positive regulation of fibroblast proliferation, negative regulation of endothelial cell proliferation, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, insulin resistance, and signaling pathways (PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, prolactin, Rap1, PPAR); in pigs - regulation of striated muscle tissue development, collagen fibril organization, positive regulation of insulin secretion, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, and signaling pathways (PPAR, FoxO, HIF-1, AMPK). Among the DEGs common for studied animal species, 45 common genes were identified. Based on these, a protein-protein interaction network was created and three significant modules critical for skeletal muscle myogenesis were found, with the most significant module A containing four recognized hub genes - EGFR, VEGFA, CDH1, and CAV1. Using the miRWALK and TF2DNA databases, miRNAs (bta-miR-2374 and bta-miR-744) and transcription factors (CEBPB, KLF15, RELA, ZNF143, ZBTB48, and REST) associated with hub genes were detected. Analysis of GO term and KEGG pathways showed that such processes are related to myogenesis and associated with module A: positive regulation of MAP kinase activity, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor binding, focal adhesion, and signaling pathways (PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, Rap1, Ras, MAPK).

CONCLUSIONS

The identified genes, common to the prenatal developmental period of skeletal muscle in livestock, are critical for later muscle development, including its growth by hypertrophy. They regulate valuable economic characteristics. Enhancing and breeding animals according to the recognized genes seems essential for breeders to achieve superior gains in high-quality muscle mass.

Daily injection of the β2 adrenergic agonist clenbuterol improved poor muscle growth and body composition in lambs following heat stress-induced intrauterine growth restriction

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with reduced β2 adrenergic sensitivity, which contributes to poor postnatal muscle growth. The objective of this study was to determine if stimulating β2 adrenergic activity postnatal would rescue deficits in muscle growth, body composition, and indicators of metabolic homeostasis in IUGR offspring. Methods: Time-mated ewes were housed at 40°C from day 40 to 95 of gestation to produce IUGR lambs. From birth, IUGR lambs received daily IM injections of 0.8 μg/kg clenbuterol HCl (IUGR+CLEN; n = 11) or saline placebo (IUGR; n = 12). Placebo-injected controls (n = 13) were born to pair-fed thermoneutral ewes. Biometrics were assessed weekly and body composition was estimated by ultrasound and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Lambs were necropsied at 60 days of age. Results: Bodyweights were lighter (p ≤ 0.05) for IUGR and IUGR+CLEN lambs than for controls at birth, day 30, and day 60. Average daily gain was less (p ≤ 0.05) for IUGR lambs than controls and was intermediate for IUGR+CLEN lambs. At day 58, BIA-estimated whole-body fat-free mass and ultrasound-estimated loin eye area were less (p ≤ 0.05) for IUGR but not IUGR+CLEN lambs than for controls. At necropsy, loin eye area and flexor digitorum superficialis muscles were smaller (p ≤ 0.05) for IUGR but not IUGR+CLEN lambs than for controls. Longissimus dorsi protein content was less (p ≤ 0.05) and fat-to-protein ratio was greater (p ≤ 0.05) for IUGR but not IUGR+CLEN lambs than for controls. Semitendinosus from IUGR lambs had less (p ≤ 0.05) β2 adrenoreceptor content, fewer (p ≤ 0.05) proliferating myoblasts, tended to have fewer (p = 0.08) differentiated myoblasts, and had smaller (p ≤ 0.05) muscle fibers than controls. Proliferating myoblasts and fiber size were recovered (p ≤ 0.05) in IUGR+CLEN lambs compared to IUGR lambs, but β2 adrenoreceptor content and differentiated myoblasts were not recovered. Semitendinosus lipid droplets were smaller (p ≤ 0.05) in size for IUGR lambs than for controls and were further reduced (p ≤ 0.05) in size for IUGR+CLEN lambs. Conclusion: These findings show that clenbuterol improved IUGR deficits in muscle growth and some metabolic parameters even without recovering the deficit in β2 adrenoreceptor content. We conclude that IUGR muscle remained responsive to β2 adrenergic stimulation postnatal, which may be a strategic target for improving muscle growth and body composition in IUGR-born offspring.

Dousing the flame: reviewing the mechanisms of inflammatory programming during stress-induced intrauterine growth restriction and the potential for ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intervention

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) arises when maternal stressors coincide with peak placental development, leading to placental insufficiency. When the expanding nutrient demands of the growing fetus subsequently exceed the capacity of the stunted placenta, fetal hypoxemia and hypoglycemia result. Poor fetal nutrient status stimulates greater release of inflammatory cytokines and catecholamines, which in turn lead to thrifty growth and metabolic programming that benefits fetal survival but is maladaptive after birth. Specifically, some IUGR fetal tissues develop enriched expression of inflammatory cytokine receptors and other signaling cascade components, which increases inflammatory sensitivity even when circulating inflammatory cytokines are no longer elevated after birth. Recent evidence indicates that greater inflammatory tone contributes to deficits in skeletal muscle growth and metabolism that are characteristic of IUGR offspring. These deficits underlie the metabolic dysfunction that markedly increases risk for metabolic diseases in IUGR-born individuals. The same programming mechanisms yield reduced metabolic efficiency, poor body composition, and inferior carcass quality in IUGR-born livestock. The ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are diet-derived nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory effects that have been used to improve conditions of chronic systemic inflammation, including intrauterine stress. In this review, we highlight the role of sustained systemic inflammation in the development of IUGR pathologies. We then discuss the potential for ω-3 PUFA supplementation to improve inflammation-mediated growth and metabolic deficits in IUGR offspring, along with potential barriers that must be considered when developing a supplementation strategy.

CircUBE3A promotes myoblasts proliferation and differentiation by sponging miR-28-5p to enhance expression

circRNAs have been found to be involved in the regulatory network of skeletal muscle development in studies. However, their precise functions and regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. The expression patterns and alterations of circRNAs in the longissimus dorsi muscle of two major developmental stages of goats (D75 fetus and D1 kid) were studied using high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics tools in this study. In kid skeletal muscles, 831 differently expressed circRNAs were found, comprising 486 up-regulated circRNAs and 345 down-regulated circRNAs. In skeletal muscle, we focused on the highly expressed and variably expressed circUBE3A. CircUBE3A levels were discovered to be much higher in kid skeletal muscle and differentiated myoblasts. Knocking down circUBE3A resulted in a significant increase in cell proliferation and differentiation in goat myoblasts. CircUBE3A specifically binds to and inhibits miR-28-5p, boosting the expression of Hydroxyacyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Beta (HADHB) and contributing to goat myoblast proliferation and differentiation, according to the mechanistic investigation. The above results indicated that circUBE3A could regulate HADHB expression by targeting miR-28-5p, consequently increasing goat myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Our findings offer fresh perspectives on goat breeding and growth regulation, as well as substantial theoretical basis.

MiR-29a Family as a Key Regulator of Skeletal Muscle Dysplasia in a Porcine Model of Intrauterine Growth Retardation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in many biological processes. In this study, miRNAs in the skeletal muscle of normal and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) neonatal piglets were identified by sequencing, and canonical miRNAs were functionally validated in vitro. A total of 403 miRNAs were identified in neonatal piglet skeletal muscle, among them 30 and 46 miRNAs were upregulated and downregulated in IUGR pigs, respectively. Upregulated miRNAs were mainly enriched in propanoate metabolism, endocytosis, beta-Alanine metabolism, gap junction, and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway. Down-regulated miRNAs were mainly enriched in chemical carcinogenesis—receptor activation, endocytosis, MAPK signaling pathway, insulin resistance, and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Co-expression network analysis of umbilical cord blood and skeletal muscle miRNAs showed that the miR-29 family is an essential regulator of IUGR pigs. The dual-luciferase reporter system showed that IGF1 and CCND1 were target genes of the miR-29 family. Transfection of IUGR pig umbilical cord blood exosomes and miR-29a mimic significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted the expression of cellular protein degradation marker genes Fbxo32 and Trim63. In summary, these results enrich the regulatory network of miRNAs involved in skeletal muscle development in IUGR animals.

Primary myoblasts from intrauterine growth-restricted fetal sheep exhibit intrinsic dysfunction of proliferation and differentiation that coincides with enrichment of inflammatory cytokine signaling pathways

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is linked to lifelong reductions in muscle mass due to intrinsic functional deficits in myoblasts, but the mechanisms underlying these deficits are not known. Our objective was to determine if the deficits were associated with changes in inflammatory and adrenergic regulation of IUGR myoblasts, as was previously observed in IUGR muscle. Primary myoblasts were isolated from IUGR fetal sheep produced by hyperthermia-induced placental insufficiency (PI-IUGR; n = 9) and their controls (n = 9) and from IUGR fetal sheep produced by maternofetal inflammation (MI-IUGR; n = 6) and their controls (n = 7). Proliferation rates were less (P < 0.05) for PI-IUGR myoblasts than their controls and were not affected by incubation with IL-6, TNF-α, norepinephrine, or insulin. IκB kinase inhibition reduced (P < 0.05) proliferation of control myoblasts modestly in basal media but substantially in TNF-α-added media and reduced (P < 0.05) PI-IUGR myoblast proliferation substantially in basal and TNF-α-added media. Proliferation was greater (P < 0.05) for MI-IUGR myoblasts than their controls and was not affected by incubation with TNF-α. Insulin increased (P < 0.05) proliferation in both MI-IUGR and control myoblasts. After 72-h differentiation, fewer (P < 0.05) PI-IUGR myoblasts were myogenin+ than controls in basal and IL-6 added media but not TNF-α-added media. Fewer (P < 0.05) PI-IUGR myoblasts were desmin+ than controls in basal media only. Incubation with norepinephrine did not affect myogenin+ or desmin+ percentages, but insulin increased (P < 0.05) both markers in control and PI-IUGR myoblasts. After 96-h differentiation, fewer (P < 0.05) MI-IUGR myoblasts were myogenin+ and desmin+ than controls regardless of media, although TNF-α reduced (P < 0.05) desmin+ myoblasts for both groups. Differentiated PI-IUGR myoblasts had greater (P < 0.05) TNFR1, ULK2, and TNF-α-stimulated TLR4 gene expression, and PI-IUGR semitendinosus muscle had greater (P < 0.05) TNFR1 and IL6 gene expression, greater (P < 0.05) c-Fos protein, and less (P < 0.05) IκBα protein. Differentiated MI-IUGR myoblasts had greater (P < 0.05) TNFR1 and IL6R gene expression, tended to have greater (P = 0.07) ULK2 gene expression, and had greater (P < 0.05) β-catenin protein and TNF-α-stimulated phosphorylation of NFκB. We conclude that these enriched components of TNF-α/TNFR1/NFκB and other inflammatory pathways in IUGR myoblasts contribute to their dysfunction and help explain impaired muscle growth in the IUGR fetus.

Going Up Inflame: Reviewing the Underexplored Role of Inflammatory Programming in Stress-Induced Intrauterine Growth Restricted Livestock

The impact of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) on health in humans is well-recognized. It is the second leading cause of perinatal mortality worldwide, and it is associated with deficits in metabolism and muscle growth that increase lifelong risk for hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. Comparatively, the barrier that IUGR imposes on livestock production is less recognized by the industry. Meat animals born with low birthweight due to IUGR are beset with greater early death loss, inefficient growth, and reduced carcass merit. These animals exhibit poor feed-to-gain ratios, less lean mass, and greater fat deposition, which increase production costs and decrease value. Ultimately, this reduces the amount of meat produced by each animal and threatens the economic sustainability of livestock industries. Intrauterine growth restriction is most commonly the result of fetal programming responses to placental insufficiency, but the exact mechanisms by which this occurs are not well-understood. In uncompromised pregnancies, inflammatory cytokines are produced at modest rates by placental and fetal tissues and play an important role in fetal development. However, unfavorable intrauterine conditions can cause cytokine activity to be excessive during critical windows of fetal development. Our recent evidence indicates that this impacts developmental programming of muscle growth and metabolism and contributes to the IUGR phenotype. In this review, we outline the role of inflammatory cytokine activity in the development of normal and IUGR phenotypes. We also highlight the contributions of sheep and other animal models in identifying mechanisms for IUGR pathologies.

Gestational nutrient restriction under extensive grazing conditions: Effects on muscle characteristics and meat quality in heavy lambs

We evaluated maternal undernutrition effects induced by a lower natural pasture allowance (gestation days 30-143) on histological-biochemical and meat traits in muscles Semitendinosus, cranial Gluteobiceps and Supraspinatus from 200-day old male and female lambs. Maternal undernutrition increased oxidative and reduced glycolytic fibers in all muscles (P ≤ 0.01). Maternal undernutrition reduced the diameter of glycolytic fibers in the cranial Gluteobiceps of exclusively female lambs (P = 0.05) and reduced the diameter of oxidative fibers in the Supraspinatus of exclusively male lambs (P = 0.02). Maternal undernutrition increased lipid content in the Supraspinatus of females (P = 0.001), reduced lactate content (P = 0.03) and WB shear force (P = 0.02) in the Semitendinosus of females, and increased cooking losses in the Semitendinosus of males (P = 0.0069). In conclusion, gestational nutrient restriction induced fetal programming effects on muscle characteristics of lambs. Moreover, our study demonstrates that maternal undernutrition influences muscle and meat characteristics in a sex and muscle-dependent way.

In Vitro Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle Models for Studying Muscle Physiology and Disease

Healthy skeletal muscle possesses the extraordinary ability to regenerate in response to small-scale injuries; however, this self-repair capacity becomes overwhelmed with aging, genetic myopathies, and large muscle loss. The failure of small animal models to accurately replicate human muscle disease, injury and to predict clinically-relevant drug responses has driven the development of high fidelity in vitro skeletal muscle models. Herein, the progress made and challenges ahead in engineering biomimetic human skeletal muscle tissues that can recapitulate muscle development, genetic diseases, regeneration, and drug response is discussed. Bioengineering approaches used to improve engineered muscle structure and function as well as the functionality of satellite cells to allow modeling muscle regeneration in vitro are also highlighted. Next, a historical overview on the generation of skeletal muscle cells and tissues from human pluripotent stem cells, and a discussion on the potential of these approaches to model and treat genetic diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is provided. Finally, the need to integrate multiorgan microphysiological systems to generate improved drug discovery technologies with the potential to complement or supersede current preclinical animal models of muscle disease is described.

ASAS-SSR Triennnial Reproduction Symposium: Looking Back and Moving Forward-How Reproductive Physiology has Evolved: Fetal origins of impaired muscle growth and metabolic dysfunction: Lessons from the heat-stressed pregnant ewe

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is the second leading cause of perinatal mortality and predisposes offspring to metabolic disorders at all stages of life. Muscle-centric fetal adaptations reduce growth and yield metabolic parsimony, beneficial for IUGR fetal survival but detrimental to metabolic health after birth. Epidemiological studies have reported that IUGR-born children experience greater prevalence of insulin resistance and obesity, which progresses to diabetes, hypertension, and other metabolic disorders in adulthood that reduce quality of life. Similar adaptive programming in livestock results in decreased birth weights, reduced and inefficient growth, decreased carcass merit, and substantially greater mortality rates prior to maturation. High rates of glucose consumption and metabolic plasticity make skeletal muscle a primary target for nutrient-sparing adaptations in the IUGR fetus, but at the cost of its contribution to proper glucose homeostasis after birth. Identifying the mechanisms underlying IUGR pathophysiology is a fundamental step in developing treatments and interventions to improve outcomes in IUGR-born humans and livestock. In this review, we outline the current knowledge regarding the adaptive restriction of muscle growth and alteration of glucose metabolism that develops in response to progressively exacerbating intrauterine conditions. In addition, we discuss the evidence implicating developmental changes in β adrenergic and inflammatory systems as key mechanisms for dysregulation of these processes. Lastly, we highlight the utility and importance of sheep models in developing this knowledge.

Dietary supplementation for Santa Inês hair ewes on pasture at pre- and postpartum periods: dry matter intake, digestibility, milk production, and mineral metabolism

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different levels of dietary supplementation and reproductive stages on dry matter intake, digestibility, milk production, and mineral metabolism in Santa Inês hair ewes. Two dietary supplement levels of 0.5 and 1.5%, based on body weight, were used. A total of 12 hair ewes (six subjected to 0.5 and six subjected to 1.5% of concentrate supplementation based on body weight-BW) of the Santa Inês breed were evaluated in a completely randomized design with fixed effects of supplementation level, period, and its interactions. Dry matter intake, digestibility, milk production, and mineral metabolism (calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type I insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and osteocalcin (OC)) were assessed. Dry matter digestibility was affected by the supplementation level (during both pregnancy and lactation), with higher values in ewes fed at a level of 1.5% of BW. A significant interaction between treatment × reproductive stages was found for the Mg concentration. A period effect (P < 0.05) on serum concentrations of P, Ca/P, Mg, and IGF-I was observed. Serum P concentrations were influenced (P < 0.05) by treatments and reproductive stages. There were significant differences in the Ca/P ratio among the reproductive stages. The enzymatic activity of ALP and serum IGFI differed among reproductive stages. Ewes supplemented at a level of 1.5% of BW produced 18.5% more milk than ewes supplemented at a level of 0.5% of BW. The use of 0.5% of body weight in concentrate supplementation is recommended for the reduction of production costs, without having an effect on the mineral metabolism of Santa Inês hair ewes.

Impact of placental insufficiency on fetal skeletal muscle growth

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) caused by placental insufficiency is one of the most common and complex problems in perinatology, with no known cure. In pregnancies affected by placental insufficiency, a poorly functioning placenta restricts nutrient supply to the fetus and prevents normal fetal growth. Among other significant deficits in organ development, the IUGR fetus characteristically has less lean body and skeletal muscle mass than their appropriately-grown counterparts. Reduced skeletal muscle growth is not fully compensated after birth, as individuals who were born small for gestational age (SGA) from IUGR have persistent reductions in muscle mass and strength into adulthood. The consequences of restricted muscle growth and accelerated postnatal "catch-up" growth in the form of adiposity may contribute to the increased later life risk for visceral adiposity, peripheral insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in individuals who were formerly IUGR. This review will discuss how an insufficient placenta results in impaired fetal skeletal muscle growth and how lifelong reductions in muscle mass might contribute to increased metabolic disease risk in this vulnerable population.

Does skeletal muscle have an 'epi'-memory? The role of epigenetics in nutritional programming, metabolic disease, aging and exercise

Skeletal muscle mass, quality and adaptability are fundamental in promoting muscle performance, maintaining metabolic function and supporting longevity and healthspan. Skeletal muscle is programmable and can ‘remember’ early‐life metabolic stimuli affecting its function in adult life. In this review, the authors pose the question as to whether skeletal muscle has an ‘epi’‐memory? Following an initial encounter with an environmental stimulus, we discuss the underlying molecular and epigenetic mechanisms enabling skeletal muscle to adapt, should it re‐encounter the stimulus in later life. We also define skeletal muscle memory and outline the scientific literature contributing to this field. Furthermore, we review the evidence for early‐life nutrient stress and low birth weight in animals and human cohort studies, respectively, and discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms culminating in skeletal muscle dysfunction, metabolic disease and loss of skeletal muscle mass across the lifespan. We also summarize and discuss studies that isolate muscle stem cells from different environmental niches in vivo (physically active, diabetic, cachectic, aged) and how they reportedly remember this environment once isolated in vitro. Finally, we will outline the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle memory and review the epigenetic regulation of exercise‐induced skeletal muscle adaptation, highlighting exercise interventions as suitable models to investigate skeletal muscle memory in humans. We believe that understanding the ‘epi’‐memory of skeletal muscle will enable the next generation of targeted therapies to promote muscle growth and reduce muscle loss to enable healthy aging.

Epigenetics and developmental programming of welfare and production traits in farm animals

The concept that postnatal health and development can be influenced by events that occur in utero originated from epidemiological studies in humans supported by numerous mechanistic (including epigenetic) studies in a variety of model species. Referred to as the 'developmental origins of health and disease' or 'DOHaD' hypothesis, the primary focus of large-animal studies until quite recently had been biomedical. Attention has since turned towards traits of commercial importance in farm animals. Herein we review the evidence that prenatal risk factors, including suboptimal parental nutrition, gestational stress, exposure to environmental chemicals and advanced breeding technologies, can determine traits such as postnatal growth, feed efficiency, milk yield, carcass composition, animal welfare and reproductive potential. We consider the role of epigenetic and cytoplasmic mechanisms of inheritance, and discuss implications for livestock production and future research endeavours. We conclude that although the concept is proven for several traits, issues relating to effect size, and hence commercial importance, remain. Studies have also invariably been conducted under controlled experimental conditions, frequently assessing single risk factors, thereby limiting their translational value for livestock production. We propose concerted international research efforts that consider multiple, concurrent stressors to better represent effects of contemporary animal production systems.

Dynamics of myosin heavy chain isoform transition in the longissimus muscle of domestic and wild pigs during growth: a comparative study

Dynamics of myofiber differentiation/maturation in porcine skeletal muscle is associated with domestication, breeding and rearing conditions. This study was aimed to comparatively elucidate the age-dependent myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform expression and transition pattern in domestic and wild pig (WP) skeletal muscle from birth until adulthood. Domestic pigs (DPs) of Large White breed raised in conventional production system were compared with WPs reared in a large hunting enclosure. Muscle samples for immuno/enzyme histochemistry were taken from the longissimus dorsi muscle within 24 h postmortem at 24 to 48 h, 21 to 23 days, 7 months and ~2 years postpartum. Based on the antibody reactivity to MyHCs (NCL-MHCs, A4.74, BF-F3) and succinate dehydrogenase activity, myofibers were classified into I, I/IIa, IIa, IIx and IIb types. In addition, foetal MyHC expression was determined with the use of F158.4C10 antibody. Maturation of the longissimus dorsi muscle in the WP was characterized by an accelerated transformation of the fast to slow MyHC during the first hours postpartum, followed by differentiation towards oxidative myofibers in which type I, IIa and IIx MyHCs predominated. In the DP, the transformation shifted towards glycolytic myofibers that expressed MyHC-IIb. The expression of foetal MyHC was higher in the DP than in the WP at 1 day of age, and the decline in the foetal MyHC during the first 3 weeks was more rapid in the WP than in the DP denoting an accelerated early postnatal muscle maturation in WP than DP piglets. All foetal MyHC-positive myofibers co-expressed IIa isoform, but not vice versa. The intense myofiber hypertrophy was evident from 3 weeks until 7 months of age. In this period, the myofiber cross-sectional area increased up to 10- and 20-fold in the WP and the DP, respectively. In the DP, the hypertrophy of all myofiber types was more pronounced than in the WP, particularly the hypertrophy of IIx and IIb myofibers. To summarize, the comparison between growing DP with wild ancestors showed that genetic selection and rearing conditions lead to substantial changes in the direction and intensity of postnatal MyHC transformation as evidenced by different proportion of individual myofiber types and differences in their hypertrophic potential.

Co-expression analysis of fetal weight-related genes in ovine skeletal muscle during mid and late fetal development stages

BACKGROUND

Muscle development and lipid metabolism play important roles during fetal development stages. The commercial Texel sheep are more muscular than the indigenous Ujumqin sheep.

RESULTS

We performed serial transcriptomics assays and systems biology analyses to investigate the dynamics of gene expression changes associated with fetal longissimus muscles during different fetal stages in two sheep breeds. Totally, we identified 1472 differentially expressed genes during various fetal stages using time-series expression analysis. A systems biology approach, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), was used to detect modules of correlated genes among these 1472 genes. Dramatically different gene modules were identified in four merged datasets, corresponding to the mid fetal stage in Texel and Ujumqin sheep, the late fetal stage in Texel and Ujumqin sheep, respectively. We further detected gene modules significantly correlated with fetal weight, and constructed networks and pathways using genes with high significances. In these gene modules, we identified genes like TADA3, LMNB1, TGF-β3, EEF1A2, FGFR1, MYOZ1, and FBP2 correlated with fetal weight.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed the complex network characteristics involved in muscle development and lipid metabolism during fetal development stages. Diverse patterns of the network connections observed between breeds and fetal stages could involve some hub genes, which play central roles in fetal development, correlating with fetal weight. Our findings could provide potential valuable biomarkers for selection of body weight-related traits in sheep and other livestock.

Poor maternal nutrition inhibits muscle development in ovine offspring

BACKGROUND

Maternal over and restricted nutrition has negative consequences on the muscle of offspring by reducing muscle fiber number and altering regulators of muscle growth. To determine if over and restricted maternal nutrition affected muscle growth and gene and protein expression in offspring, 36 pregnant ewes were fed 60%, 100% or 140% of National Research Council requirements from d 31 ± 1.3 of gestation until parturition. Lambs from control-fed (CON), restricted-fed (RES) or over-fed (OVER) ewes were necropsied within 1 d of birth (n = 18) or maintained on a control diet for 3 mo (n = 15). Semitendinosus muscle was collected for immunohistochemistry, and protein and gene expression analysis.

RESULTS

Compared with CON, muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) increased in RES (58%) and OVER (47%) lambs at 1 d of age (P < 0.01); however at 3 mo, CSA decreased 15% and 17% compared with CON, respectively (P < 0.01). Compared with CON, muscle lipid content was increased in OVER (212.4%) and RES (92.5%) at d 1 (P < 0.0001). Muscle lipid content was increased 36.1% in OVER and decreased 23.6% in RES compared with CON at 3 mo (P < 0.0001). At d 1, myostatin mRNA abundance in whole muscle tended to be greater in OVER (P = 0.07) than CON. Follistatin mRNA abundance increased in OVER (P = 0.04) and tended to increase in RES (P = 0.06) compared with CON at d 1. However, there was no difference in myostatin or follistatin protein expression (P > 0.3). Phosphorylated Akt (ser473) was increased in RES at 3 mo compared with CON (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, maternal over and restricted nutrient intake alters muscle lipid content and growth of offspring, possibly through altered gene and protein expression.

Myoblasts from intrauterine growth-restricted sheep fetuses exhibit intrinsic deficiencies in proliferation that contribute to smaller semitendinosus myofibres

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) reduces skeletal muscle mass in fetuses and offspring. Our objective was to determine whether myoblast dysfunction due to intrinsic cellular deficiencies or serum factors reduces myofibre hypertrophy in IUGR fetal sheep. At 134 days, IUGR fetuses weighed 67% less (P < 0.05) than controls and had smaller (P < 0.05) carcasses and semitendinosus myofibre areas. IUGR semitendinosus muscles had similar percentages of pax7-positive nuclei and pax7 mRNA but lower (P < 0.05) percentages of myogenin-positive nuclei (7 ± 2% and 13 ± 2%), less myoD and myogenin mRNA, and fewer (P < 0.05) proliferating myoblasts (PNCA-positive-pax7-positive) than controls (44 ± 2% vs. 52 ± 1%). Primary myoblasts were isolated from hindlimb muscles, and after 3 days in growth media (20% fetal bovine serum, FBS), myoblasts from IUGR fetuses had 34% fewer (P < 0.05) myoD-positive cells than controls and replicated 20% less (P < 0.05) during a 2 h BrdU pulse. IUGR myoblasts also replicated less (P < 0.05) than controls during a BrdU pulse after 3 days in media containing 10% control or IUGR fetal sheep serum (FSS). Both myoblast types replicated less (P < 0.05) with IUGR FSS-supplemented media compared to control FSS-supplemented media. In differentiation-promoting media (2% FBS), IUGR and control myoblasts had similar percentages of myogenin-positive nuclei after 5 days and formed similar-sized myotubes after 7 days. We conclude that intrinsic cellular deficiencies in IUGR myoblasts and factors in IUGR serum diminish myoblast proliferation and myofibre size in IUGR fetuses, but intrinsic myoblast deficiencies do not affect differentiation. Furthermore, the persistent reduction in IUGR myoblast replication shows adaptive deficiencies that explain poor muscle growth in IUGR newborn offspring.

Identification of the crucial molecular events during the large-scale myoblast fusion in sheep

It is well known that in sheep most myofibers are formed before birth; however, the crucial myogenic stage and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning phenotypic variation of fetal muscle development remain to be ascertained. We used histological, microarray, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) methods to examine the developmental characteristics of fetal muscle at 70, 85, 100, 120, and 135 days of gestation in sheep. We show that day 100 is an important checkpoint for change in muscle transcriptome and histomorphology in fetal sheep and that the period of 85–100 days is the vital developmental stage for large-scale myoblast fusion. Furthermore, we identified the cis-regulatory motifs for E2F1 or MEF2A in a list of decreasingly or increasingly expressed genes between 85 and 100 days, respectively. Further analysis demonstrated that the mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels of E2F1 and MEF2A significantly declined with myogenic progression in vivo and in vitro. qRT-PCR analysis indicated that PI3K and FST, as targets of E2F1, may be involved in myoblast differentiation and fusion and that downregulation of MEF2A contributes to transition of myofiber types by differential regulation of the target genes involved at the stage of 85–100 days. We clarify for the first time the timing of myofiber proliferation and development during gestation in sheep, which would be beneficial to meat sheep production. Our findings present a repertoire of gene expression in muscle during large-scale myoblast fusion at transcriptome-wide level, which contributes to elucidate the regulatory network of myogenic differentiation.

Knockdown of endogenous myostatin promotes sheep myoblast proliferation

Myostatin (MSTN), is a known negative regulator of myogenesis. Silencing of the function of MSTN could result in increasing muscle mass in mice. To determine the function of endogenous MSTN expression on proliferation of sheep myoblasts, a short-hairpin RNA-targeting sheep MSTN was constructed into lentiviral vector to silence endogenous MSTN expression. We demonstrated that silencing of endogenous MSTN gene with up to approximately 73.3% reduction by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) resulted in significant increase (overall 28.3%) of proliferation of primary ovine myoblasts. The upregulation of proliferation was accompanied by the decrease expression of MyoD (-37.6%, p = 0.025), myogenin (-33.1%, p = 0.049), p21 (-49.3%, p = 0.046), and Smad3 (-50.0%, p = 0.007). Silencing of myostatin using shRNA may provide a feasible approach to improve meat productivity in farm animals.

Pre- and early-postnatal nutrition modify gene and protein expressions of muscle energy metabolism markers and phospholipid Fatty Acid composition in a muscle type specific manner in sheep

We previously reported that undernutrition in late fetal life reduced whole-body insulin sensitivity in adult sheep, irrespective of dietary exposure in early postnatal life. Skeletal muscle may play an important role in control of insulin action. We therefore studied a range of putative key muscle determinants of insulin signalling in two types of skeletal muscles (longissimus dorsi (LD) and biceps femoris (BF)) and in the cardiac muscle (ventriculus sinister cordis (VSC)) of sheep from the same experiment. Twin-bearing ewes were fed either 100% (NORM) or 50% (LOW) of their energy and protein requirements during the last trimester of gestation. From day-3 postpartum to 6-months of age (around puberty), twin offspring received a high-carbohydrate-high-fat (HCHF) or a moderate-conventional (CONV) diet, whereafter all males were slaughtered. Females were subsequently raised on a moderate diet and slaughtered at 2-years of age (young adults). The only long-term consequences of fetal undernutrition observed in adult offspring were lower expressions of the insulin responsive glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1α (PGC1α) mRNA in BF, but increased PGC1α expression in VSC. Interestingly, the HCHF diet in early postnatal life was associated with somewhat paradoxically increased expressions in LD of a range of genes (but not proteins) related to glucose uptake, insulin signalling and fatty acid oxidation. Except for fatty acid oxidation genes, these changes persisted into adulthood. No persistent expression changes were observed in BF and VSC. The HCHF diet increased phospholipid ratios of n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in all muscles, even in adults fed identical diets for 1½ years. In conclusion, early postnatal, but not late gestation, nutrition had long-term consequences for a number of determinants of insulin action and metabolism in LD. Tissues other than muscle may account for reduced whole body insulin sensitivity in adult LOW sheep.

Muscle development and obesity: Is there a relationship?

The formation of skeletal muscle from the epithelial somites involves a series of events triggered by temporally and spatially discrete signals resulting in the generation of muscle fibers which vary in their contractile and metabolic nature. The fiber type composition of muscles varies between individuals and it has now been found that there are differences in fiber type proportions between lean and obese animals and humans. Amongst the possible causes of obesity, it has been suggested that inappropriate prenatal environments may 'program' the fetus and may lead to increased risks for disease in adult life. The characteristics of muscle are both heritable and plastic, giving the tissue some ability to adapt to signals and stimuli both pre and postnatally. Given that muscle is a site of fatty acid oxidation and carbohydrate metabolism and that its development can be changed by prenatal events, it is interesting to examine the possible relationship between muscle development and the risk of obesity.

Developmental programming in response to intrauterine growth restriction impairs myoblast function and skeletal muscle metabolism

Fetal adaptations to placental insufficiency alter postnatal metabolic homeostasis in skeletal muscle by reducing glucose oxidation rates, impairing insulin action, and lowering the proportion of oxidative fibers. In animal models of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), skeletal muscle fibers have less myonuclei at birth. This means that myoblasts, the sole source for myonuclei accumulation in fibers, are compromised. Fetal hypoglycemia and hypoxemia are complications that result from placental insufficiency. Hypoxemia elevates circulating catecholamines, and chronic hypercatecholaminemia has been shown to reduce fetal muscle development and growth. We have found evidence for adaptations in adrenergic receptor expression profiles in myoblasts and skeletal muscle of IUGR sheep fetuses with placental insufficiency. The relationship of β-adrenergic receptors shifts in IUGR fetuses because Adrβ2 expression levels decline and Adrβ1 expression levels are unaffected in myofibers and increased in myoblasts. This adaptive response would suppress insulin signaling, myoblast incorporation, fiber hypertrophy, and glucose oxidation. Furthermore, this β-adrenergic receptor expression profile persists for at least the first month in IUGR lambs and lowers their fatty acid mobilization. Developmental programming of skeletal muscle adrenergic receptors partially explains metabolic and endocrine differences in IUGR offspring, and the impact on metabolism may result in differential nutrient utilization.

Recent progress in histochemistry and cell biology

Studies published in Histochemistry and Cell Biology in the year 2011 represent once more a manifest of established and newly sophisticated techniques being exploited to put tissue- and cell type-specific molecules into a functional context. The review is therefore the Histochemistry and Cell Biology's yearly intention to provide interested readers appropriate summaries of investigations touching the areas of tissue biology, developmental biology, the biology of the immune system, stem cell research, the biology of subcellular compartments, in order to put the message of such studies into natural scientific-/human- and also pathological-relevant correlations.

Histological and transcriptome-wide level characteristics of fetal myofiber hyperplasia during the second half of gestation in Texel and Ujumqin sheep

BACKGROUND

Whether myofibers increase with a pulsed-wave mode at particular developmental stages or whether they augment evenly across developmental stages in large mammals is unclear. Additionally, the molecular mechanisms of myostatin in myofiber hyperplasia at the fetal stage in sheep remain unknown. Using the first specialized transcriptome-wide sheep oligo DNA microarray and histological methods, we investigated the gene expression profile and histological characteristics of developing fetal ovine longissimus muscle in Texel sheep (high muscle and low fat), as a myostatin model of natural mutation, and Ujumqin sheep (low muscle and high fat). Fetal skeletal muscles were sampled at 70, 85, 100, 120, and 135 d of gestation.

RESULTS

Myofiber number increased sharply with a pulsed-wave mode at certain developmental stages but was not augmented evenly across developmental stages in fetal sheep. The surges in myofiber hyperplasia occurred at 85 and 120 d in Texel sheep, whereas a unique proliferative surge appeared at 100 d in Ujumqin sheep. Analysis of the microarray demonstrated that immune and hematological systems' development and function, lipid metabolism, and cell communication were the biological functions that were most differentially expressed between Texel and Ujumqin sheep during muscle development. Pathways associated with myogenesis and the proliferation of myoblasts, such as calcium signaling, chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 signaling, and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, were affected significantly at specific fetal stages, which underpinned fetal myofiber hyperplasia and postnatal muscle hypertrophy. Moreover, we identified some differentially expressed genes between the two breeds that could be potential myostatin targets for further investigation.

CONCLUSIONS

Proliferation of myofibers proceeded in a pulsed-wave mode at particular fetal stages in the sheep. The myostatin mutation changed the gene expression pattern in skeletal muscle at a transcriptome-wide level, resulting in variation in myofiber phenotype between Texel and Ujumqin sheep during the second half of gestation. Our findings provide a novel and dynamic description of the effect of myostatin on skeletal muscle development, which contributes to understanding the biology of muscle development in large mammals.

A gene network switch enhances the oxidative capacity of ovine skeletal muscle during late fetal development

BACKGROUND

The developmental transition between the late fetus and a newborn animal is associated with profound changes in skeletal muscle function as it adapts to the new physiological demands of locomotion and postural support against gravity. The mechanisms underpinning this adaption process are unclear but are likely to be initiated by changes in hormone levels. We tested the hypothesis that this developmental transition is associated with large coordinated changes in the transcription of skeletal muscle genes.

RESULTS

Using an ovine model, transcriptional profiling was performed on Longissimus dorsi skeletal muscle taken at three fetal developmental time points (80, 100 and 120 d of fetal development) and two postnatal time points, one approximately 3 days postpartum and a second at 3 months of age. The developmental time course was dominated by large changes in expression of 2,471 genes during the interval between late fetal development (120 d fetal development) and 1-3 days postpartum. Analysis of the functions of genes that were uniquely up-regulated in this interval showed strong enrichment for oxidative metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle indicating enhanced mitochondrial activity. Histological examination of tissues from these developmental time points directly confirmed a marked increase in mitochondrial activity between the late fetal and early postnatal samples. The promoters of genes that were up-regulated during this fetal to neonatal transition were enriched for estrogen receptor 1 and estrogen related receptor alpha cis-regulatory motifs. The genes down-regulated during this interval highlighted de-emphasis of an array of functions including Wnt signaling, cell adhesion and differentiation. There were also changes in gene expression prior to this late fetal--postnatal transition and between the two postnatal time points. The former genes were enriched for functions involving the extracellular matrix and immune response while the latter principally involved functions associated with transcriptional regulation of metabolic processes.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that during late skeletal muscle development there are substantial and coordinated changes in the transcription of a large number of genes many of which are probably triggered by increased estrogen levels. These changes probably underpin the adaption of muscle to new physiological demands in the postnatal environment.

Peri-implantation and late gestation maternal undernutrition differentially affect fetal sheep skeletal muscle development

Poor prenatal nutrition is associated with a greater risk of adult glucose intolerance and insulin insensitivity in the offspring. Skeletal muscle is the primary tissue for glucose utilization, and insulin resistance in muscle is the earliest identifiable abnormality in the pre-diabetic patient. We investigated the effect of early and late gestation undernutrition on structure and markers of growth and glucose metabolism regulation in the fetal triceps brachii (TB, slow- and fast-twitch myofibres) and soleus (slow-twitch myofibres) muscles. Pregnant sheep were fed 100% nutrient requirements (C, n = 8) or a restricted diet peri-implantation (PI, n = 9; 40%, 1-31 days gestation (dGA) (term approximately 147)) or in late gestation (L, n = 6; 50%, 104-127 dGA). At 127 +/- 1 dGA we measured myofibre and capillary density in the fetal TB and soleus muscles, and mRNA levels in the TB of insulin receptor (InsR), glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) and type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R). Total myofibre and capillary densities were lower in the TB, but not the soleus, of PI and L fetuses. The predominant effect in the L group was on slow-twitch myofibres. In TB, InsR, GLUT-4 and IGF-1R mRNA levels were greater in L group fetuses. Our finding of reduced myofibre density is consistent with a redistribution of resources at the expense of specific peripheral tissues by early and late gestation undernutrition which may be mediated by a decrease in capillary density. The increase in key regulatory components of glucose uptake following late gestation undernutrition may constitute a short-term compensation to maintain glucose homeostasis in the face of fewer type I (insulin-sensitive) myofibres. However, together these adaptations may influence the risk of later metabolic disease and thus our findings have implications for future strategies aimed at improving maternal diet.

In utero effects on livestock muscle development and body composition

This review will focus on the evidence for in utero effects on development of skeletal muscle in farm and laboratory animals, particularly sheep and pigs. We will describe genetic and environmental factors that have been shown to alter the numbers of muscle fibres formed and outline our working hypothesis for the mechanism involved and the critical window during pregnancy when these effects are seen. We will then discuss the long-term consequences in terms of body composition. Although this review concentrates on skeletal muscle development, the mechanism we suggest might be equally applicable to other tissues in the body (e.g. the brain, kidneys or sex organs) and, therefore, impact on their physiological functions.

Myosin heavy chain isoform transitions in canine skeletal muscles during postnatal growth

To gain a better understanding of the normal characteristics of developing canine muscles, myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression was analysed in the axial and limb skeletal muscles of 18 young dogs whose ages ranged from the late prenatal stage to 6 months. We compared the results of immunohistochemistry using ten monoclonal antibodies, specific to different MHC isoforms, and enzyme-histochemical reactions, which demonstrate the activity of myofibrillar ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (alpha-GPDH). In the skeletal muscles of fetuses and neonatal dogs the developmental isoforms MHC-emb and MHC-neo were prevalent. In all muscles the primary fibres, located centrally in each muscle fascicle, strongly expressed the slow isoform MHC-I. The adult fast isoform MHC-IIa was first noted in some of the secondary fibres on fetal day 55. During the first 10 days after birth, the expression of MHC-emb declined, as did that of MHC-neo during the second and third weeks. Correspondingly, the expression of MHC-IIa, and later, of MHC-I increased in the secondary fibres. Between the sixth week and second month the expression of MHC-IIx became prominent. The slow rhomboideus muscle exhibited an early expression of the slow isoform in the secondary fibres. Our results indicate that the timing of muscle maturation depends on its activity immediately following birth. The fastest developing muscle was the diaphragm, followed by the fast muscles. A pronounced changeover from developmental to adult isoforms was noted at 4-6 weeks of age, which coincides with the increased physical activity of puppies.

A genomic approach to reveal novel genes associated with myotube formation in the model teleost,Takifugu rubripes

Little is known about the transcriptional networks that regulate myotube production in vertebrates. In the present study, we have used a genomic approach to discover novel genes associated with myotube formation in fast muscle of the tiger puffer fish, Takifugu rubripes. The number of fast muscle fibers per myotome increased until 1.2 kg body mass, and subsequent growth was by fiber hypertrophy alone. Forward and reverse subtracted cDNA libraries were prepared from a 180-g (myotube +) and a 3.4-kg (myotube −) fish, and 1,452 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained. After these ESTs were grouped into nonredundant clusters and housekeeping and structural genes were eliminated, 57 genes were selected and quantitative PCR was used to investigate their expression levels in different tissues from independent groups of myotube(−) and myotube(+) fish acclimated to the same environmental conditions and diet. Eleven novel genes were found to be consistently differentially expressed, but only four showed appropriate tissue-specific expression. These four genes were upregulated 5–25 times in fast muscle of myotube(−) relative to myotube(+) growth stages, while their expression remained unchanged in the other tissues studied. The novel genes identified, which are also present in other vertebrate genomes, may play a role in inhibiting myotube formation in vertebrate muscle.

Mechanical signals and IGF-I gene splicing in vitro in relation to development of skeletal muscle

It has been shown that the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) gene is spliced in response to mechanical signals producing forms of IGF-I which have different actions. In order to study how mechanical signals influence this gene splicing in developing muscle, C2C12 cells were grown in three-dimensional (3D) culture and subjected to different regimens of mechanical strain. IGF-IEa which initiates the fusion of myoblasts to form myotubes was found to be constitutively expressed in myoblasts and myotubes (held under endogenous tension) and its expression upregulated by a single ramp stretch of 1-h duration but reduced by repeated cyclical stretch. In contrast, mechano growth factor (MGF), which is involved in the proliferation of mononucleated myoblasts that are required for secondary myotube formation and to establish the muscle satellite (stem) cell pool, showed no significant constitutive expression in static cultures, but was upregulated by a single ramp stretch and by cycling loading. The latter types of force simulate those generated in myoblasts by the first contractions of myotubes. These data indicate the importance of seeking to understand the physiological signals that determine the ratios of splice variants of some growth factor/tissue factor genes in the early stages of development of skeletal muscle.

Cell and molecular biology of myoblast fusion

In organisms from Drosophila to mammals, the musculature is comprised of an elaborate array of distinct fibers that are generated by the fusion of committed myoblasts. These muscle fibers differ from each other in features that include location, pattern of innervation, site of attachment, and size. The sizes of the newly formed muscles of an embryo are controlled in large part by the number of cells that form the syncitial fiber. Over the past few decades, an extensive body of literature has described the process of myoblast fusion in vertebrates, relying primarily on the strengths of tissue culture model systems. More recently, genetic studies in Drosophila embryos have provided new insights into the process. Together, these studies define the steps necessary for myoblast differentiation, the acquisition of fusion competence, the recognition and adhesion between myoblasts, and the fusion of two lipid bilayers into one. In this review, we have attempted to combine insights from both Drosophila and vertebrate studies to trace the processes and molecules involved in myoblast fusion. Implicit in this approach is the assumption that fundamental aspects of myoblast fusion will be similar, independent of the organism in which it is occurring.

Myoblast fusion in Drosophila

Somatic muscle formation is an unusual process as it requires the cells involved, the myoblasts, to relinquish their individual state and fuse with one another to form a syncitial muscle fiber. The potential use of myoblast fusion therapies to rebuild damaged muscles has generated continuing interest in elucidating the molecular basis of the fusion process. Yet, until recently, few of the molecular players involved in this process had been identified. Now, however, it has been possible to couple a detailed understanding of the cellular basis of the fusion process with powerful classical and molecular genetic strategies in the Drosophila embryo. We review the cellular studies, and the recent genetic and biochemical analyses that uncovered interacting extracellular molecules present on fusing myoblasts and the intracellular effectors that facilitate fusion. With the conservation of proteins and protein functions across species, it is likely that these findings in Drosophila will benefit understanding of the myoblast fusion process in higher organisms.

Dystrophin and utrophin: genetic analyses of their role in skeletal muscle

Since the identification of dystrophin as the causitive factor in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, there has been substantial progress in understanding the functions and interactions of this protein. Dystrophin has been shown to interact with a group of peripheral- and trans-membrane proteins known as the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC) and mutations in some of the members of this complex have been shown to account for other forms of muscular dystrophy. This review summarizes the experiments using transgenic and knockout mouse models that have defined the roles of dystrophin, and the dystrophin-related protein utrophin at the skeletal muscle membrane and at the neuromuscular junction. These studies are presented in the context of other known interactions at the muscle membrane. Studies of the dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse have lead to a greater understanding of the human disease. Knockouts and transgenics of utrophin have shown this protein to be sufficient to functionally compensate for dystrophin. Dystrophin transgenic mice combined with the mdx mouse have been used to study the function of specific domains of the dystrophin protein. Together these animal models have led to a delineation of protein functions and localization patterns that will be useful for the generation of potential therapies for DMD.

Muscle growth and development in normal-sex-ratio and all-female diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon

Muscle development and growth were investigated in diploid populations of normal-sex-ratio and all-female Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) and their triploid counterparts produced by high-pressure treatment. Somites were formed at the rate of 6 h-1 in both diploids and triploids at 6 degrees C. The rostral-to-caudal development of myotubes, myofibrils and acetylcholinesterase staining at the myosepta was slightly more advanced in triploid than in diploid fish, although the differences were smaller than among individual families. The c-met receptor tyrosine kinase was used as a molecular marker for the satellite cells involved in postembryonic muscle growth. Satellite cell nuclei comprised 17.5 % of total myonuclei in smolts and they were 24 % more abundant in diploid than in triploid fish. Cells expressing the myogenic regulatory factor myf-6, a marker of satellite cells committed to differentiation, represented 14.8 % of total myonuclei in diploids and 12.5 % in triploids. At ambient temperatures, the number of white muscle fibres in normal-sex-ratio fish increased more than 30-fold between the alevin and smolt stages, and approximately 3.5-fold further during the first year of seawater growth. The rate of muscle fibre recruitment in seawater stages was significantly greater in diploid than in triploid fish, reaching 1162 fibres day-1 and 608 fibres day-1, respectively, in all-female groups 800 days post-hatching. For 42 cm fork-length fish, there were approximately one-third more muscle fibres per myotome in diploid than in triploid groups, 649 878 and 413 619, respectively, for all-female fish. The probability density function of muscle fibre diameters in each fish was estimated using non-parametric smoothing techniques, and the mean densities for diploids (fD) and triploids (fT) were calculated. The peak fibre diameter was approximately 20 (micro)m in all age classes, irrespective of ploidy. Distinct bimodal distributions of muscle fibre diameter were evident in all groups 775 days and 839 days post-hatching, reflecting seasonal cycles of fibre recruitment. fD and fT were compared using a non-parametric bootstrap technique and the reference band representing the null-hypothesis indicated that there was no difference with ploidy. Reference bands for normal-sex-ratio fish at 315 days and 470 days indicated that diploids had a higher percentage of smaller-diameter fibres and that triploid distributions had a thicker right-hand tail. Similar differences in fD and fT of muscle fibre diameters were found for all-female fish, although the statistical evidence was less strong. Reference bands indicated differences in the middle range of the distributions of muscle fibre diameter in fish 620–775 days post-hatch, with triploids having a thicker right-hand tail. Thus, a lower density of satellite cells was associated with reduced rates of fibre recruitment but a compensatory increase in muscle fibre hypertrophy in triploid compared with diploid fish.

Myotube heterogeneity in developing chick craniofacial skeletal muscles

Avian skeletal muscles consist of myotubes that can be categorized according to contraction and fatigue properties, which are based largely on the types of myosins and metabolic enzymes present in the cells. Most mature muscles in the head are mixed, but they display a variety of ratios and distributions of fast and slow muscle cells. We examine the development of all head muscles in chick and quail embryos, using immunohistochemical assays that distinguish between fast and slow myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms. Some muscles exhibit the mature spatial organization from the onset of primary myotube differentiation (e.g., jaw adductor complex). Many other muscles undergo substantial transformation during the transition from primary to secondary myogenesis, becoming mixed after having started as exclusively slow (e.g., oculorotatory, neck muscles) or fast (e.g., mandibular depressor) myotube populations. A few muscles are comprised exclusively of fast myotubes throughout their development and in the adult (e.g., the quail quadratus and pyramidalis muscles, chick stylohyoideus muscles). Most developing quail and chick head muscles exhibit identical fiber type composition; exceptions include the genioglossal (chick: initially slow, quail: mixed), quadratus and pyramidalis (chick: mixed, quail: fast), and stylohyoid (chick: fast, quail: mixed). The great diversity of spatial and temporal scenarios during myogenesis of head muscles exceeds that observed in the limbs and trunk, and these observations, coupled with the results of precursor mapping studies, make it unlikely that a lineage based model, in which individual myoblasts are restricted to fast or slow fates, is in operation. More likely, spatiotemporal patterning of muscle fiber types is coupled with the interactions that direct the movements of muscle precursors and subsequent segregation of individual muscles from common myogenic condensations. In the head, most of these events are facilitated by connective tissue precursors derived from the neural crest. Whether these influences act upon uncommitted, or biased but not restricted, myogenic mesenchymal cells remains to be tested.

Formation of new myotubes occurs exclusively at the multiple innervation zones of an embryonic large muscle

This work examines the general principle of whether production of embryonic muscle fibres is invariably linked to sites of innervation, as we have previously reported in small rodent muscles (Duxson et al. [1989] Development 107:743-750). The experimental strategy has been to make a detailed electron microscopic analysis of the formation of new myotubes in a large muscle having multiple, discrete innervation zones. The particular model system is the guinea pig sternomastoid muscle, a strap-like, parallel-fibred muscle with four distinct endplate bands, both in the embryo and the adult. Primary myotubes in the developing muscle extended from tendon to tendon of the muscle and were innervated at each of the multiple endplate zones. Each point of innervation of the primary myotubes was a focus around which many new secondary myotubes formed, and each secondary myotube was approximately centred on one of the innervation sites of its supporting primary myotube. This confirms our previous report, in rat IVth lumbrical muscle, of an invariable association between sites of formation of new secondary myotubes and sites of innervation. We suggest that, in vivo, nerve terminals either directly induce the initial myoblast fusions which give rise to new secondary myotubes, or induce some precondition for fusion. An alternative hypothesis is that a common patterning influence in the muscle localizes both innervation and secondary myotube formation to the same zone. The pattern of secondary myotube production in the embryo has important implications for the size and final architecture of muscles in larger animals, and some of these are discussed.

Differentiation and growth of muscle in the fish Sparus aurata (L): II. Hyperplastic and hypertrophic growth of lateral muscle from hatching to adult

Post-hatching growth of lateral muscle in a teleost fish, Sparus aurata (L) was studied morphometrically to identify and quantify muscle fibre hyperplasia and hypertrophy, and by in vivo nuclear labelling with 5-bromo-deoxyuridine to identify areas of myoblast proliferation. Muscle fibre types were identified principally by myosin ATPase histochemistry and immunostaining, and labelled nuclei were identified at light and electronmicroscope level by immunostaining with a specific monoclonal antibody. Hyperplastic growth was slow at hatching, but then increased to a maximum at the mid-point of larval life. Larval hyperplastic growth occurred by apposition of new fibres along proliferation zones, principally just under the lateral line and in the apical regions of the myotome, but also just under the superficial monolayer at intermediate positions. The first of these zones gave rise to slow and pink muscle fibres, in a process which continued through into postlarval life. The other zones added new fibres to the fast-white muscle layer in a process which was exhausted by the end of larval life. Post-larvally, between 60 and 90 days posthatching, a new hyperplastic process started in the fast-white muscle as nuclei proliferated and new muscle fibres were formed throughout the whole layer. This process resulted in a several-fold increase in the number of fast-white fibres over a few weeks, and then waned to very low levels in juveniles. Hyperplasia by apposition continued for some time postlarvally on the deep surface of the superficial monolayer, but at this stage gave rise to slow fibres only. Hypertrophic growth occurred at all ages, but was the dominant mechanism of muscle growth only in the juvenile and adult stages. Mechanisms giving rise to these different growth processes in fish muscle are discussed, and compared with muscle development in higher vertebrates.

Comparison of the foetal development of fibre types in four bovine muscles

The pattern of expression of different types of myosin heavy chains and the development of different generations of muscle cells during foetal life were studied in four bovine muscles with widely varying characteristics, the Masseter, Longissimus thoracis, Cutaneus trunci and Diaphragma. Different complementary techniques were performed: immunocytochemistry, electrophoresis, immunoblotting and ELISA. Monoclonal antibodies against different myosin heavy chain isoforms were used. The results confirmed the existence of at least two generations of cells during foetal development in cattle. A first generation, which appeared at a very early stage, gave rise to adult type I fibres. A second generation, made up of different cell populations, gave rise to adult fast type IIA and IIB fibres, and to type IIC. In the slow muscles, it also seemed to give rise to type I fibres. The beginning of myogenesis was characterized in the different cell generations by the expression of transitory myosin forms that are not found in the adult. Type 1 myosin heavy chain was observed from 90 days whereas the fast types, 2a and 2b, were present from 210 to 230 days, at which stage the foetal form disappeared. Muscles that have greatly different contractile characteristics in the adult exhibit also different profiles of differentiation: the Diaphragma was the first to develop, followed by Cutaneus trunci, Longissimus thoracis and Masseter.

Myosin heavy chain composition of single fibres and their origins and distribution in developing fascicles of sheep tibialis cranialis muscles

The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of single muscle fibres in developing sheep tibialis cranialis muscles was examined immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies to MHC isozymes. Data were collected with conventional microscopy and computerized image analysis from embryonic day (E) 76 to postnatal day (PN) 20, and from adult animals. At E76, 23% of the young myofibres stained for slow-twitch MHC. The number of these fibres considerably exceeded the number of primary and secondary myotubes. By E100, smaller fibres, negative for slow-twitch MHC, encircled each fibre from the initial population to form rosettes. A second population of small fibres appeared in the unoccupied spaces between rosettes. Small fibres, whether belonging to rosettes or not, did not initially express slow-twitch MHC, expressing mainly neonatal myosin instead. These small fibres then diverged into three separate groups. In the first group most fibres transiently expressed adult fast myosin (maximal at E110-E120), but in the adult expressed slow myosin. This transformation to the slow MHC phenotype commenced at E110, was nearing completion by 20 postnatal days, and was responsible for approximately 60% of the adult slow twitch fibre population. In the other two groups expression of adult fast MHC was maintained, and in the adult they accounted for 14% (IIa MHC) and 17% (IIb MHC) of the total fibre numbers. We conclude that muscle fibre formation in this large muscle involves at least three generations of myotube. Secondary myotubes are generated on a framework of primary myotubes and both populations differentiate into the young myofibres which we observed at E76 to form rosettes. Tertiary myotubes, in turn, appear in the spaces between rosettes and along the borders of fascicles, using the outer fibres of rosettes as scaffolds.