Chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of mitochondrial protein synthesis, inhibits myoblast fusion and myotube differentiation.

Chloramphenicol (100 micrograms/ml), an inhibitor of mitochondrial protein synthesis, inhibits the fusion of myoblasts isolated from chick embryo pectoral muscle in both, serum supplemented and serum-free culture conditions. This inhibition of myotube formation appeared reversible only in the defined media. Tryptose phosphate broth and nucleosides, when added in the presence of chloramphenicol, were able to restore the cell capacity to proliferate but not to fuse and differentiate.