Abstract
1. 1. A non-invasive procedure was used to determine the effect of animal age on the growth response of muscle to passive stretch. 2. 2. Stretch increased patagialis muscle weight 61% in 6-week-old chicks and 34% in 10-month-old chicks, 28-month-old animals had an 18% loss of muscle mass during passive stretch. 3. 3. Removal of the stretch stimulus was followed by a rapid return of patagialis weight to control values in 6-week and 10-month animals, while muscle size of 28-month-old animals had not returned to control levels by 22 days, following removal of the stretch. 4. 4. The stretch-induced changes in muscle wet weight could, in part, be attributed to changes in muscle protein. 5. 5. Total muscle DNA content increased during rapid growth in 6-week- and 10-month-old chickens, and returned to control levels during muscle regression. 6. 6. Muscle hydroxyproline content increased in parallel with increases in muscle mass but did not return to control levels during muscle regression in 6-week-old animals. 7. 7. Results of the present study indicate that there was an effect of animal age on stretch-induced hypertrophy and regression of the patagialis muscle.
Published Version
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