Temporal differences in desmin expression between myoblasts from embryonic and adult chicken skeletal muscle

Desmin expression by myoblasts cultured from embryonic and adult chicken breast muscle was examined employing indirect immunofluorescence. The study was performed in conjunction with [3H]thymidine autoradiography and analysis of skeletal myosin expression in order to determine whether the desmin-expressing cells were terminally differentiated. Following 2 h of labeling with [3H]thymidine, 0.55%, 2.60%, and 15.10% of the cells in mass cultures from 10-day-old embryos, 18-day-old embryos and adults, respectively, incorporated [3H]thymidine and were desmin-positive but did not express skeletal-muscle-specific myosin. Using the same approach we determined that 0.07%, 1.25%, and 7.59% of the mononucleated cells in myogenic clones from 10-day-old embryos, 18-day-old embryos and adults, respectively, were desmin-positive, myosin-negative, [3H]thymidine-positive. We suggest that these desmin-positive, myosin-negative myoblasts are proliferating cells, and we conclude that the progeny of adult myoblasts exhibit more desmin-expressing cells of this type than embryonic myoblasts do.