Propranolol retards revascularisation and impedes early myogenesis in regenerating skeletal muscle transplants: an autoradiographic and morphometric study in mice.

The beta-antagonist (blocker) propranolol was tested for its effects on satellite cell proliferation and the revascularisation and regeneration of transplanted skeletal muscles. Utilising autoradiographic techniques it was found that there was no difference in the actual timing of onset of satellite cell activation between propranolol-treated and control mice. However, the numbers of proliferating myogenic cells were substantially reduced in the propranolol-treated mice until revascularisation of these transplants began, about 24 h later than in the controls; myogenesis was therefore retarded by propranolol. When transplants from propranolol-treated and control mice which had been allowed to regenerate for 14 d were analysed morphometrically it was found that there was no significant difference in the size of the transplants, although propranolol induced the formation of substantial lipid deposition in the central transplant region; this was evidence of inhibited revascularisation in the early stages (up to 4 d) after transplantation.