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The formation of synapses in striated muscle during development.

1. A study has been made of the formation of synapses in developing striated muscles which receive either a focal (the rat hemidiaphragm) or a distributed (the avian anterior latissimus dorsi) innervation using histological, ultrastructural and electrophysiological techniques.2. In the developing diaphragm only a single synaptic contact was initially established at random along the length of the short (300 mum) myotubes by a single axon; in the developing ALD more than one synaptic contact could be established initially along the length of the long (2500 mum) myotubes by axons, but the distance between these was never less than 170 mum.3. Each synapse established by the initial axonal contact in either the diaphragm or the ALD subsequently received a multiple innervation from further exploring axons in the muscles, and all such additional innervation of muscle cells was constrained to the sites of the initial synaptic contacts; this multiple innervation of synaptic sites was lost in the subsequent 4 weeks.4. It is suggested that the axon forming the initial synaptic contact on myotubes induces a property over an adjacent length of myotube which makes its membrane refractory to synapse formation over this length; this characteristic length is longer for axons forming a focal innervation than it is for those forming distributed innervation.

Acetylcholine↗

Regulation of Commissureless by the ubiquitin ligase DNedd4 is required for neuromuscular synaptogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.

Muscle synaptogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster requires endocytosis of Commissureless (Comm), a binding partner for the ubiquitin ligase dNedd4. We investigated whether dNedd4 and ubiquitination mediate this process. Here we show that Comm is expressed in intracellular vesicles in the muscle, whereas Comm bearing mutations in the two PY motifs (L/PPXY) responsible for dNedd4 binding [Comm(2PY-->AY)], or bearing Lys-->Arg mutations in all Lys residues that serve as ubiquitin acceptor sites [Comm(10K-->R)], localize to the muscle surface, suggesting they cannot endocytose. Accordingly, aberrant muscle innervation is observed in the Comm(2PY-->AY) and Comm(10K-->R) mutants expressed early in muscle development. Similar muscle surface accumulation of Comm and innervation defects are observed when dNedd4 is knocked down by double-stranded RNA interference in the muscle, in dNedd4 heterozygote larvae, or in muscles overexpressing catalytically inactive dNedd4. Expression of the Comm mutants fused to a single ubiquitin that cannot be polyubiquitinated and mimics monoubiquitination [Comm(2PY-->AY)-monoUb or Comm(10K-->R)-monoUb] prevents the defects in both Comm endocytosis and synaptogenesis, suggesting that monoubiquitination is sufficient for Comm endocytosis in muscles. Expression of the Comm mutants later in muscle development, after synaptic innervation, has no effect. These results demonstrate that dNedd4 and ubiquitination are required for Commissureless endocytosis and proper neuromuscular synaptogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Fiber apoptosis in developing rat muscles is regulated by activity, neuregulin.

Motor neurons are thought to critically regulate the survival of a subset of developing muscle fibers. In muscles that develop in the absence of innervation, primary muscle fibers appear to form in normal numbers, but their long-term survival is thought to require innervation-induced suprathreshold activity. Here I examine interactions between motor neurons and muscle fibers in newborn rats. I report that a small fraction of muscle fibers in developing muscles undergo apoptosis. Many, if not all, of these fibers appear to have lost innervation owing to the retraction of nerve terminals. That the apoptosis is initiated by the loss of functional innervation is suggested by a severalfold increase in the magnitude of fiber apoptosis following denervation and muscle paralysis. Finally, both naturally occurring and denervation-induced muscle fiber apoptosis can be prevented by exogenous administration of neuregulin. These results argue that the survival of all or a subset of developing muscle fibers is ultimately regulated by neuregulin. Furthermore, these results suggest a model in which innervation-induced suprathreshold activity indirectly regulates muscle fiber survival by modulating the levels of neuregulin at developing neuromuscular junctions.

Animals↗

Transitions in cell organization and in expression of contractile and extracellular matrix proteins during development of chicken aortic smooth muscle: evidence for a complex spatial and temporal differentiation program.

Whereas the understanding of the mechanisms underlying skeletal and cardiac muscle development has been increased dramatically in recent years, the understanding of smooth muscle development is still in its infancy. This paper summarizes studies on the ontogeny of chicken smooth muscle cells in the wall of the aorta and aortic arch-derived arteries. Employing immunocytochemistry with antibodies against smooth muscle contractile and extracellular matrix proteins we trace smooth muscle cell patterning from early development throughout adulthood. Comparing late stage embryos to young and adult chickens we demonstrate, for all the stages analyzed, that the cells in the media of aortic arch-derived arteries and of the thoracic aorta are organized in alternating lamellae. The lamellar cells, but not the interlamellar cells, express smooth muscle specific contractile proteins and are surrounded by basement membrane proteins. This smooth muscle cell organization of lamellar and interlamellar cells is fully acquired by embryonic day 11 (ED 11). We further show that, during earlier stages of embryogenesis (ED3 through ED7), cells expressing smooth muscle proteins appear only in the peri-endothelial region of the aortic and aortic arch wall and are organized as a narrow band of cells that does not demonstrate the lamellar-interlamellar pattern. On ED9, infrequent cells organized in lamellar-interlamellar organization can be detected and their frequency increases by ED10. In addition to changes in cell organization, we show that there is a characteristic sequence of contractile and extracellular matrix protein expression during development of the aortic wall. At ED3 the peri-endothelial band of differentiated smooth muscle cells is already positive for smooth muscle alpha actin (alphaSM-actin) and fibronectin. By the next embryonic day the peri-endothelial cell layer is also positive for smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (SM-MLCK). Subsequently, by ED5 this peri-endothelial band of differentiated smooth muscle cells is positive for alphaSM-actin, SM-MLCK, SM-calponin, fibronectin, and collagen type IV. However, laminin and desmin (characteristic basement membrane and contractile proteins of smooth muscle) are first seen only at the onset of the lamellar-interlamellar cell organization (ED9 to ED10). We conclude that the development of chicken aortic smooth muscle involves transitions in cell organization and in expression of smooth muscle proteins until the adult-like phenotype is achieved by mid-embryogenesis. This detailed analysis of the ontogeny of chick aortic smooth muscle should provide a sound basis for future studies on the regulatory mechanisms underlying vascular smooth muscle development.

Age Factors↗

Phosphodiesterase-III-inhibition with amrinone leads to contracture development in skeletal muscle preparations of malignant hyperthermia susceptible swine.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The phosphodiesterase-III (PDE-III) inhibitor enoximone-induced marked contractures in skeletal muscle specimens of malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptible (MHS) human beings and swine. Whether this is a substance specific effect of enoximone or caused by inhibition of PDE-III remained unclear. Therefore, the effects of the PDE-III inhibitor amrinone in porcine MH normal (MHN) and MHS skeletal muscles were investigated. METHODS: MH-trigger-free general anaesthesia was performed in eight MHS and eight MHN swine. The MH status of the swine was determined by detection of the Arg615-Cys point mutation on chromosome 6 indicating MH susceptibility. Skeletal muscle specimens were excised for the in vitro contracture tests with amrinone. Amrinone was added cumulatively every 5 min to muscle specimens in order to obtain organ bath concentrations between 20 and 400 micromol L(-1). The in vitro effects of amrinone on muscle contractures and twitches were measured. RESULTS: Amrinone-induced contractures in all skeletal muscle preparations. MHS muscles developed contractures at significantly lower bath concentrations of amrinone than MHN muscles. Contractures of MHS compared to MHN muscles were significantly larger at bath concentrations of 80, 100, 150, 200 and 400 micromol L(-1) amrinone. Muscle twitches remained unchanged up to and including 200 micromol L(-1) amrinone. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of PDE-III in general elicited higher contractures in MHS than in MHN muscles. Therefore, a contribution of PDE-III and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) system in the pathophysiology of MH must be suspected.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

The role of SF/HGF and c-Met in the development of skeletal muscle.

Hypaxial skeletal muscles develop from migratory and non-migratory precursor cells that are generated by the lateral lip of the dermomyotome. Previous work shows that the formation of migratory precursors requires the c-Met and SF/HGF genes. We show here that in mice lacking c-Met or SF/HGF, the initial development of the dermomyotome proceeds appropriately and growth and survival of cells in the dermomyotome are not affected. Migratory precursors are also correctly specified, as monitored by the expression of Lbx1. However, these cells remain aggregated and fail to take up long range migration. We conclude that parallel but independent cues converge on the migratory hypaxial precursors in the dermomyotomal lip after they are laid down: a signal given by SF/HGF that controls the emigration of the precursors, and an as yet unidentified signal that controls Lbx1. SF/HGF and c-Met act in a paracrine manner to control emigration, and migratory cells only dissociate from somites located close to SF/HGF-expressing cells. During long range migration, prolonged receptor-ligand-interaction appears to be required, as SF/HGF is expressed both along the routes and at the target sites of migratory myogenic progenitors. Mice that lack c-Met die during the second part of gestation due to a placental defect. Rescue of the placental defect by aggregation of tetraploid (wild type) and diploid (c-Met-/-) morulae allows development of c-Met mutant animals to term. They lack muscle groups that derive from migratory precursor cells, but display otherwise normal skeletal musculature.

Animals↗

Expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in developing rat muscle spindles.

The development of muscle spindles, with respect to the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms was studied in rat hind limbs from 17 days of gestation up to seven days after birth. Serial cross-sections were labelled with antibodies against slow tonic, slow twitch and neonatal isomyosins, myomesin, laminin and neurofilament protein. At 17-18 days of gestation, a small population of primary myotubes expressing slow tonic myosin were identified as the earliest spindle primordia. These myotubes also expressed slow twitch and, to a lesser extent, neonatal myosin. At 19-20 days of gestation a second myotube became apparent; this staining strongly with anti-neonatal myosin. A day later this secondary myotube acquired reactivity to anti-slow tonic and anti-slow twitch myosins. By birth, a third myotube was present; this staining strongly with anti-neonatal myosin but otherwise unreactive with the other antibodies against myosin heavy chains. Three days after birth a fourth myotube, with identical reactivity to the third one, became apparent. Regional variation in the expression of isomyosins, which was present since birth in the two nuclear bag fibers was further enhanced: the nuclear bag staining strongly with anti-slow tonic and antineonatal in the equatorial region and with decreasing intensity towards the poles, whilst with anti-slow twitch the stainability was low in the equatorial and high in the polar region. The nuclear bag fiber showed a homogeneous staining: high with anti-slow tonic, moderate with anti-neonatal, and displayed stainability to anti-slow twitch myosin in the polar regions only. No regional variation was found along the chain fiber/myotube.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

The influence of muscle length on muscle fibre conduction velocity and development of muscle fatigue.

The influence of muscle (vastus lateralis) length on the muscle fibre conduction velocity (MFCV) and on muscle fatigue was studied in 8 healthy volunteers. In experiment 1, the electromyographic (EMG) responses were evoked by electrical stimulation of the motor point and recorded by a surface electrode array aligned along the muscle fibre direction. The MFCV (determined by cross-correlation) was measured at knee flexions of 5 degrees (full extension), 45 degrees, 90 degrees and 120 degrees with 3 different extension torques. The MFCV declined with increasing muscle length and increased with increasing background torque at knee flexions from 5 degrees to 90 degrees. From 90 degrees to 120 degrees knee flexion of MFCV tended to increase. In experiment 2, the EMG activity at a static fatiguing contraction (80% MVC) was measured at 45 degrees and 90 degrees knee flexion. The EMG was measured until the subject gave up contracting the muscle (endurance). The largest increase in the RMS amplitude and the fastest decreases in the mean power frequency (MPF) and MFCV were found at 90 degrees flexion. The MVC at 45 degrees knee flexion was 35% lower than at 90 degrees and the time until endurance was approximately twice as long for the 45 degrees contraction. The results indicate that muscle length is an important parameter for the propagation velocity of action potentials and for the development of static muscle fatigue.

Action Potentials↗

Shortening velocity and myosin heavy chains of developing rabbit muscle fibers.

The regulation of vertebrate muscle contraction with respect to the role of the different subunits of myosin remains somewhat uncertain. One approach to gaining a better understanding of the molecular basis of contraction is to study developing muscle which undergoes changes in myosin isozyme composition and contractile properties during the normal course of maturation. The present study utilizes single fibers from psoas muscles of rabbits at several ages as a model system for fast-twitch muscle development. This approach eliminates the inherent problems of interpreting results from studies on whole muscles which usually contain heterogeneous fiber types with respect to contractile properties and isoenzyme composition. Maximum velocity of shortening and tension-generating ability of individual fibers were measured and the myosin heavy chain composition of the same fibers was examined using an ultrasensitive sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel system. The results indicate that 1) with regard to contractile properties, there is a transitional period from slow to fast shortening velocities within the first postnatal month; 2) a strong, positive correlation exists between the speed of shortening and tension-generating ability of individual postnatal day 7 fibers, suggesting that as more myosin is incorporated in these developing fibers it is of the fast type; and 3) there is a wide variation in maximum velocity of shortening among postnatal day 7 psoas fibers which is also a time when a mixture of heavy chain isoforms characterizes the myosin composition of single muscle fibers.

Aging↗

Role of nerve and muscle factors in the development of rat muscle spindles.

The soleus muscles of fetal rats were examined by electron microscopy to determine whether the early differentiation of muscle spindles is dependent upon sensory innervation, motor innervation, or both. Simple unencapsulated afferent-muscle contacts were observed on the primary myotubes at 17 and 18 days of gestation. Spindles, encapsulations of muscle fibers innervated by afferents, could be recognized early on day 18 of gestation. The full complement of spindles in the soleus muscle was present at day 19, in the region of the neuromuscular hilum. More afferents innervated spindles at days 18 and 19 of gestation than at subsequent developmental stages, or in adult rats; hence, competition for available myotubes may exist among afferents early in development. Some of the myotubes that gave rise to the first intrafusal (bag2) fiber had been innervated by skeletomotor (alpha) axons prior to their incorporation into spindles. However, encapsulated intrafusal fibers received no motor innervation until fusimotor (gamma) axons innervated spindles 3 days after the arrival of afferents and formation of spindles, at day 20. The second (bag1) intrafusal fiber was already formed when gamma axons arrived. Thus, the assembly of bag1 and bag2 intrafusal fibers occurs in the presence of sensory but not gamma motor innervation. However, transient innervation of future bag2 fibers by alpha axons suggests that both sensory and alpha motor neurons may influence the initial stages of bag2 fiber assembly. The confinement of nascent spindles to a localized region of the developing muscle and the limited number of spindles in developing muscles in spite of an abundance of afferents raise the possibility that afferents interact with a special population of undifferentiated myotubes to form intrafusal fibers.

Animals↗

Appearance and evolution of calcium currents and contraction during the early post-fusional stages of rat skeletal muscle cells developing in primary culture.

Primary cultures from enzymatically dissociated satellite cells of newborn rat skeletal muscles enabled developmental in vitro studies of mechanical and electrical properties during the first steps of myogenesis. The present work focused on the appearance, evolution and roles of two types of calcium currents (ICa,T and ICa,L) and of depolarization-induced contractile activity during the early stages of muscle cell development in primary culture. Prefusional mononucleated cells (myoblasts), young myotubes of 1 day (with less than 10 nuclei) or 2-3 days (more than 9 nuclei) and myoballs from 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-16 days cultures were patch-clamped (whole-cell configuration), and calcium currents and contraction simultaneously recorded. Sodium but not calcium currents could be recorded at the myoblast stage. In young myotubes (1 day), ICa,L was present with high incidence as compared to ICa,T, which was poorly expressed. Contractile responses appeared at the next stage (2-3 days) while the occurrence of ICa,T progressively increased. This developmental evolution of the calcium currents and contraction expression was accompanied by some changes in their characteristics: the ICa,T/ICa,L amplitudes ratio progressively increased and the time-to-peak of contraction progressively decreased with the age of myoballs. Physiological functions for calcium currents in developing muscle are suggested and discussed: ICa,T, which is transiently expressed, could be involved in the pacemaker-like activity while ICa,L could serve as an early contraction triggering mechanism and/or initially to fill and then to maintain the intracellular calcium stores.

Animals↗

Action potential waveform voltage clamp shows significance of different Ca2+ channel types in developing ascidian muscle.

1. Early in development, ascidian muscle cells generate spontaneous, long-duration action potentials that are mediated by a high-threshold, inactivating Ca2+ current. This spontaneous activity is required for appropriate physiological development. 2. Mature muscle cells generate brief action potentials only in response to motor neuron input. The mature action potential is mediated by a high-threshold sustained Ca2+ current. 3. Action potentials recorded from these two stages were imposed as voltage-clamp commands on cells of the same and different stages from which they were recorded. This strategy allowed us to study how immature and mature Ca2+ currents are optimized to their particular functions. 4. Total Ca2+ entry during an action potential did not change during development. The developmental increase in Ca2+ current density exactly compensated for decreased spike duration. This compensation was a function purely of Ca2+ current density, not of the transition from immature to mature Ca2+ current types. 5. In immature cells, Ca2+ entry was spread out over the entire waveform of spontaneous activity, including the interspike voltage trajectory. This almost continuous Ca2+ entry may be important in triggering Ca2+-dependent developmental programmes, and is a function of the slightly more negative voltage dependence of the immature Ca2+ current. 6. In contrast, Ca2+ entry in mature cells was confined to the action potential itself, because of the slightly more positive voltage dependence of the mature Ca2+ current. This may be important in permitting rapid contraction-relaxation cycles during larval swimming. 7. The inactivation of the immature Ca2+ current serves to limit the frequency and burst duration of spontaneous activity. The sustained kinetics of the mature Ca2+ current permit high-frequency firing during larval swimming.

Action Potentials↗

INTRACELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF CALCIUM IN DEVELOPING BREAST MUSCLE OF NORMAL AND DYSTROPHIC CHICKENS.

To follow the intracellular distribution of calcium in the breast muscles of developing chickens, Ca(45) was injected into the albumen of predeveloped eggs. Since the embryos were grown in a radioactive medium, a complete exchange of the isotope for its non-radioactive counterpart in muscles was accomplished. Subcellular particulates of the muscle cells were separated by the method of differential centrifugation. Analysis of the separated fractions showed that in the muscles of the 13-day embryo, when the nuclear-myofibrillar ratio is high, 65 per cent of the muscle calcium is in the nuclei. With the increased synthesis of myofibrils, the nuclear-myofibrillar ratio decreases with a concomitant fall in radioactivity. Thus, calcium was not associated with the developing myofibrils. At the time of hatching, when myofibrils perform physiological work, the highest level of calcium is in the mitochondria. This suggests that the mitochondria play a key role in the physiological activities of calcium in the cell. The microsomal fraction reaches a maximal level of calcium when the adult composition of muscle is attained. Results of investigations on dystrophic muscles show changes in the calcium distribution of the fractions as early as the 3rd week of embryonic development, which are interpreted to indicate an alteration in the protein metabolism of the cell, or an early destruction of muscle tissue. Further, alterations in the calcium content of fractions which seem to regulate the movements of this ion in the cell are discussed. A new technique for homogenizing tissues from embryos of different ages is presented.

Animals↗

Gap-Junctional communication between developing Drosophila muscles is essential for their normal development.

Recent experiments have demonstrated that a family of proteins, known as the innexins, are structural components of invertebrate gap junctions. The shaking-B (shak-B) locus of Drosophila encodes two members of this emerging family, Shak-B(lethal) and Shak-B(neural). This study focuses on the role of Shak-B gap junctions in the development of embryonic and larval muscle. During embryogenesis, shak-B transcripts are expressed in a subset of the somatic muscles; expression is strong in ventral oblique muscles (VO4-6) but only weak in ventral longitudinals (VL3 and 4). Carboxyfluorescein injected into VO4 of wild-type early stage 16 embryos spreads, via gap junctions, to label adjacent muscles, including VL3 and 4. In shak-B2 embryos (in which the shak-B(neural) function is disrupted), dye injected into VO4 fails to spread into other muscles. In the first instar larva, when dye coupling between muscles is no longer present, another effect of the shak-B2 mutation is revealed by whole-cell voltage clamp. In a calcium-free saline, only two voltage-activated potassium currents are present in wild-type muscles; a fast IA and a slow IK current. In shak-B2 larvae, these two currents are significantly reduced in magnitude in VO4 and 5, but remain normal in VL3. Expression of shak-B(neural) in a shak-B2 background fully rescues both dye coupling in embryonic muscle and whole-cell currents in first instar VO4 and 5. Our observations show that Shak-B(neural) is one of a set of embryonic gap-junction proteins, and that it is required for the normal temporal development of potassium currents in some larval muscles.

Animals↗

An immunocytochemical study of type I muscle fibres in developing human skeletal muscles.

An immunocytochemical study was done on the skeletal muscles of human fetuses (19-36 weeks gestation), infants and adults using a new monoclonal antibody (McAb) ALD-47. The antibody was generated against slow myosin of chicken and is specific for myosin heavy chain (MHC). In human infants and adults the type I muscle fibres are strongly reactive with this McAb and the type II fibres uniformly non-reactive. In the fetuses from 19-20 weeks gestation (in whom the fibre types are not distinguishable by the histochemical myosin ATPase test) a proportion of muscle fibres react specifically with ALD-47. Other muscle fibres at this stage react positively with a fast specific MHC McAb HM-1.2 or are negative to both ALD-47 and HM-1.2 antibodies. These McAbs, thus, identify three distinct fibre populations in the early fetal muscle which by histochemical staining appears homogeneous. The percentage of ALD-47 positive fibres increases in fetuses at later gestational periods; at all stages these fibres lack reactivity with the HM-1.2 antibody. Because of its selective fibre type reactivity in differentiating muscles, the McAb ALD-47 in conjunction with HM-1.2 should be useful in immunoaffinity fractionation and biochemical studies of myosin isoforms in developing human muscles.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Development of muscle nerve in the teleost fish, medaka.

The entire process of normal development of a muscle nerve to a muscle (middle interradial muscle) in the tail region of the medaka (Oryzias latipes) is briefly reported. The nerve was stained immunohistochemically by using anti-neurofilament protein antibodies or stained by HRP and DiI labeling methods. The muscle was stained immunohistochemically by using anti-troponin T and anti-desmin antibodies. The smallness and transparency of the medaka embryos provide us with an opportunity to examine nerve-muscle development in whole-mount specimens. Our observations suggest that prior to the appearance of the middle interradial muscle a neural pathway has established, extending from the starting point to the 'door step' of the muscle.

Animals↗