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Effect of fibroblasts on the early stage development of skeletal muscle cells in culture

Zhou Zhenhua

Shanghai Institute of Physiology, Chinese Academy Sinica

Abstract

The effect of fibroblast in the muscle tissue on the early stage development of
embryonic muscle cells was studied in a specially prepared culture medium without any contamination of neural factors. The medium for experimental group consisted of 2 parts of a conditioned medium from fibroblasts and 1 part of Eagle's medium (MEM), while that for the control group only the Eagle's medium was used. The suspension was diluted to 7 levels of cell density (1×10~(6)-1×10~(4) cells/ml).The results were as follows:(1) The fibroblasts served as a frame on which the myoblasts proliferated and fused. The conditioned medium from fibroblasts maintained the survival of muscle cells and hastened their development. (2) The fusion of myoblasts was dependent on the density of cells. The lowest density for fusion in the experimental group was 3×10~(4) cells/ml, i.e. 30 cells/mm~(2) while that for the control group was 3×10~(5) cells/ml, i.e. 300 cells/mm~(2).The results suggest that early development of muscle cell can occur in the obsence of neural factors, and this process is promoted by the fibroblasts in embryonic muscle tissue.

Key words: Fibroblast;Conditioned medium;Myoblast;Fusion;Myotube

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Citing This Article：

Zhou Zhenhua. Effect of fibroblasts on the early stage development of skeletal muscle cells in culture. Acta Physiol Sin 1987; 39 (2): (in Chinese with English abstract).