Creatine kinase isoenzymes in cultured human muscle cells. II. A study of carrier females for Duchenne muscular dystrophy by needle and open biopsy

Abstract

Creatine kinase (CK) isoenzymes, total and specific CK activities and protein concentrations were measured in the cultured cells from muscle biopsies of 18 carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and the results compared with those in the cultures of patients with DMD and other neuromuscular disorders. The proportion of MB and BB isoenzyme in the carriers was similar to that in boys with DMD and in patients with other myogenic disorders, and significantly different from neurogenic patients. CK isoenzyme analysis appears to be a more sensitive index of in vitro differentiation than estimation of CK activities. Cell differentiation is reduced and the incidence of cell death increased in cultures derived from needle rather than open biopsies.