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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations
Published on: January 25, 2018
[Exercises at different intensities and sequential changes of rat skeletal muscle cell apoptosis]
Bao-ta Cai1, Bin Yu, Jiang-ping Zhao
1Department of Orthopedics, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. cbt3a@yahoo.com.cn
Objective:
To study the effect of exercises of different intensities on rat skeletal muscle cell apoptosis.
Methods:
Rat models of exhaustive exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury was established using tread mill exercises at different speeds, and the skeletal muscle cell apoptosis was detected using propidium iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry.
Result:
No obvious gastrocnemius cell apoptosis was observed in rats with normal exercise (P>0.05), but the cell apoptosis index was statistically significant in moderate and exhaustive exercise groups (P<0.05), reaching the highest level in exhaustive exercise group after exercising. The gastrocnemius cell apoptosis index increased obviously on days 1 and 3 of exercise, and stabilized in moderate and exhaustive exercise groups.
Conclusion:
Exercises can evoke cell apoptosis and accelerate apoptotic cell clearance, and the imbalance between the two events during exercises may contribute to skeletal muscle injury.
