Numbers of muscle nuclei and myosatellite cell nuclei in red and white axial muscle during growth of the carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Abstract

We determined the percentages of muscle fibie nuclei and satellite nuclei over a growth range of carp (Cyprinus carpio), as the increase in the number of muscle fibre nuclei is an important aspect of the increase in muscle mass, and myosatellite cells are believed to be the source of new muscle fibre nuclei. In white as well as in red axial muscle the percentage of the nuclei present in muscle that are muscle nuclei (muscle fibre nuclei+myosatellite nuclei) remained constant during growth (54 and 32% respectively). The difference in the percentage of non‐muscle nuclei between white and red axial muscle is mainly caused by the higher content of endothelial nuclei in red axial muscle.In white axial muscle the DNA/protein ratio (nucleus/sarcoplasm ratio) decreased between 3 and 15 cm S.l. In red axial muscle we found a continuous decrease in DNA/protein ratio over the entire investigated size range (3–50 cm s.l.). This may be related to a longer occurrence of hyperplasia in red than in white axial muscle.In both fibre types the percentage of muscle nuclei being myosatellite nuclei decreased with increasing length, In white axial muscle it decreased from about 5% in carp of 5 cm s.l. to less than 1% in carp of 20 cm S.L.; for red muscle these values were 11 and 3% respectively.For white axial muscle we calculated that, especially in larger fish, the myosatellite ceils alone cannot account for the increase in the number of muscle fibre nuclei during growth. The percentage of proliferating nuclei in muscle tissue, measured by the uptake of 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxy‐uridine, is high enough to account for the total increase in nuclei. So indirect evidence is available that another cell type present in the muscle tissue may also be involved in the formation of additional muscle fibre nuclei.