Bovine Myoblast Differentiation

Satellite cells are involved in postnatal myogenesis and in muscle hypertrophy. A better understanding of the mechanisms of myogenesis is useful to improve the muscle production in farm animals. Herein, we show the cytokine effects on the myogenesis in bovine myoblast cultures. Acidic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) stimulated the cell proliferation, and insulin-1ike growth factor-I (IGF-I) stimulated to form multinucleated myotubes. Thus, it was possible to regulate the bovine myoblast differentiation by aFGF, IL-1 and/or IGF-I. Using the culture system, the expression of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms was detailed in bovine myoblasts during the differentiation. It was immunohistochemically confirmed that bovine myoblasts expressed β/slow-type MyHC (MyHC-slow), fast-type MyHC (MyHC-fast) and developmental-type MyHC (MyHC-dev) isoforms. Furthermore, the expression of fast 2a and β/slow MyHC mRNA was recognized in the cultures of bovine myoblasts. The results support the existence of bovine myoblast phenotypes that express differentially MyHC isoforms