Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1974 May;239(1):179–193. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010562

Work-induced hypertrophy in exercised normal muscles of different ages and the reversibility of hypertrophy after cessation of exercise

G Goldspink, K F Howells
PMCID: PMC1330944  PMID: 4855427

Abstract

1. Groups of male hamsters of different ages were subjected to a weight-lifting exercise regimen, and the biceps brachii, soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles examined for structural changes occurring in response to the increased workload. In addition, two groups of adult hamsters were left to recover from the exercise stimulus for 5 and 15 weeks respectively.

2. All the exercised muscles exhibited muscle fibre hypertrophy, and the extent of the hypertrophy was greater in the younger animals. In all age groups, the biceps brachii and EDL showed more hypertrophy than did the soleus. There was no significant increase in fibre number after exercise.

3. In both groups allowed to recover from the exercise stimulus, the fibre dimensions reverted back to those of the control muscles; this appeared to be complete after 15 weeks recovery.

4. Electron microscopical studies of fibres from exercised and control biceps brachii revealed no significant changes with exercise in the proportions present of myofibrillar, mitochondrial and tubular components within muscle fibres of the same size.

Full text

PDF
179

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bell C. D., Conen P. E. Change in fiber size in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neurology. 1967 Sep;17(9):902–913. doi: 10.1212/wnl.17.9.902. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CHIAKULAS J. J., PAULY J. E. A STUDY OF POSTNATAL GROWTH OF SKELETAL MUSCLE IN THE RAT. Anat Rec. 1965 May;152:55–61. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091520107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. ENGEL W. K., CUNNINGHAM G. G. RAPID EXAMINATION OF MUSCLE TISSUE. AN IMPROVED TRICHROME METHOD FOR FRESH-FROZEN BIOPSY SECTIONS. Neurology. 1963 Nov;13:919–923. doi: 10.1212/wnl.13.11.919. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GOLDSPINK G. CYTOLOGICAL BASIS OF DECREASE IN MUSCLE STRENGTH DURING STARVATION. Am J Physiol. 1965 Jul;209:100–104. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1965.209.1.100. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GOLDSPINK G. THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF EXERCISE AND REDUCED FOOD INTAKE ON SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS. J Cell Physiol. 1964 Apr;63:209–216. doi: 10.1002/jcp.1030630211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Goldspink G. The proliferation of myofibrils during muscle fibre growth. J Cell Sci. 1970 Mar;6(2):593–603. doi: 10.1242/jcs.6.2.593. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gollnick P. D., King D. W. Effect of exercise and training on mitochondria of rat skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol. 1969 Jun;216(6):1502–1509. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1969.216.6.1502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gordon E. E., Kowalski K., Fritts M. Protein changes in quadriceps muscle of rat with repetitive exercises. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1967 Jun;48(6):296–303. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HELANDER E. A. Influence of exercise and restricted activity on the protein composition of skeletal muscle. Biochem J. 1961 Mar;78:478–482. doi: 10.1042/bj0780478. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HOLMES R., RASCH P. J. Effect of exercise on number of myofibrils per fiber in sartorius muscle of the rat. Am J Physiol. 1958 Oct;195(1):50–52. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1958.195.1.50. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hall-Craggs E. C. The longitudinal division of fibres in overloaded rat skeletal muscle. J Anat. 1970 Nov;107(Pt 3):459–470. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kowalski K., Gordon E. E., Martinez A., Adamek J. Changes in enzyme activities of various muscle fiber types in rat induced by different exercises. J Histochem Cytochem. 1969 Sep;17(9):601–607. doi: 10.1177/17.9.601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. REYNOLDS E. S. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:208–212. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.1.208. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Rowe R. W. Effect of low nutrition on size of striated muscle fibres in the mouse. J Exp Zool. 1968 Mar;167(3):353–358. doi: 10.1002/jez.1401670307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. VAN LINGE B. The response of muscle to strenuous exercise. An experimental study in the rat. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1962 Aug;44-B:711–721. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.44B3.711. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES