Proliferation of myogenic cells in the diaphragm of the fetal rabbit.

Diaphragms obtained from 40 fetal rabbits at gestational ages of 20, 22, 25 and 30 days were examined by light and transmission electron microscopes. The percentage of myogenic cells undergoing mitosis was calculated by counting mitotic nuclei in 1 micron sections. At 20 and 22 days gestation, myogenic cells (myoblasts and satellite cells) were actively proliferating with 2.66 +/- 0.41% (n = 15) and 2.18 +/- 0.20% (n = 23), of the cells in division, respectively. The myogenic cells undergoing mitosis appeared to be of both myoblasts and satellite cells at these stages of the development. The myotubes on day 20 of gestation contained a large number of lipid droplets and an abundance of glycogen particles which were reduced by day 22 of gestation. The mitotic rate on day 25 of gestation was reduced to 1.16 +/- 0.11% (n = 28). The muscle fibers were well differentiated at this stage and the majority of the dividing cells were considered to be satellite cells. In diaphragms from the full term fetuses (day 30), the mitotic rate was reduced to 0.31 +/- 0.05% (n = 24). It was suggested that myoblasts of the fetal rabbit diaphragm proliferated for the myotube formation during the earliest stage of the development (day 20 of gestation) and then the number of satellite cells increased after day 22 of gestation. Growth of the organ after day 25 of gestation appeared to be mostly due primarily to the hypertrophy and differentiation of the muscle fibers rather than proliferation of myoblasts.