Expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in myogenic clones obtained from developing quail breast muscle.

Monoclonal antibodies specifically recognizing cardiac and extraocular muscle myosin heavy chains of the quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were used to determine the patterns of expression of these isoforms in clonal cultures of embryonic quail myoblasts. Myoblasts prepared from 9 day embryonic pectoralis are virtually homogeneous in their ability to form clones expressing both cardiac and extraocular isoforms. The majority of myoblasts obtained from day 5 embryos also formed clones which co-express the cardiac and extraocular isoforms, but a small percentage of the clones expressed only cardiac isoforms.