Effect of testosterone on differential muscle growth and on protein and nucleic acid concentrations in muscles of growing lambs

• Published in: Journal of animal science 1997-06, Vol.75 (6), p.1495-1503
• Main Authors: Arnold, A.M. (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.), Peralta, J.M, Thonney, M.L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADN; AGE; AGE DIFFERENCES; AGNEAU; Analysis of Variance; Androgens; Animal productions; Animals; ARN; BELIER; Biological and medical sciences; BODY WEIGHT; Body Weight - physiology; CARNERO; CONTENIDO PROTEICO; CONTROLLED RELEASE; CORDERO; COU; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; DNA; DNA - analysis; DNA - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; EDAD; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GROWTH; GROWTH CURVE; LAMBS; LIBERACION CONTROLADA; LIBERATION CONTROLEE; Male; Models, Biological; Models, Statistical; MORUECO; MOUTON; MUSCLE; Muscle Development; Muscle Proteins - analysis; Muscle Proteins - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - chemistry; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - growth & development; MUSCLES; Muscular system; MUSCULOS; NECK; Nucleic Acids - analysis; Nucleic Acids - metabolism; PESCUEZO; PESO; PESO CORPORAL; Physical growth; POIDS; POIDS CORPOREL; PROTEIN CONTENT; RAMS; Random Allocation; RNA; RNA - analysis; RNA - metabolism; SEMITENDINOSUS; Sheep; Sheep - metabolism; Sheep - physiology; SPLENIUS; TENEUR EN PROTEINES; Terrestrial animal productions; TESTOSTERONAS; TESTOSTERONE; Testosterone - pharmacology; Time Factors; TRICEPS BRACHII; Vertebrates; WEIGHT; WETHERS
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163; 0021-8812
• DOI: 10.2527/1997.7561495x

Growth, nucleic acid, and protein concentrations were measured in three muscles of 20 rams, 20 wethers, and 20 wethers implanted with testosterone. Two lambs from each group were slaughtered at 14-d intervals from 49 to 133 d, and then at 28-d intervals until 217 d, for a total of 10 slaughter ages. Immediately after slaughter, the semitendinosus, splenius, and triceps brachii muscles were removed, trimmed of adhering fat, and weighed. The DNA, RNA, and protein concentrations of these muscles were determined. Testosterone increased combined weight of the three muscles. The splenius muscles of rams and wethers implanted with testosterone were heavier and had a biphasic growth pattern as the combined muscle weight increased, whereas the splenius muscle of wethers had a single growth phase. Rams and implanted wethers had greater splenius muscle DNA and RNA concentrations than wethers as muscle weight increased. This model could be used to study the gene regulation of testosterone-induced muscle growth with the possibility of invoking similar effects in more economically important muscles