[Human embryonal muscles in Duchenne muscular dystrophy]

Activity of skeletal muscle creatine kinase (main test in diagnosis of Duchenne myopathy) was studied in 9 embryos of 8-20 weeks old obtained from women which have got sons with this myopathy. It is well known that the enzymatic activity is increased at the beginning of the myodystrophy. This fact was detected in 20 weeks old embryos of male sex, while isoenzyme composition was unaltered. The data obtained suggest that impairments occurred in contractile apparatus of myofibrils as a result of which activity of creatine kinase was altered within the early steps of ontogenesis.