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Ultrastructure of developing human muscle: the problem of multinucleation of striated muscle cells

G Minguetti, W G Mair

    Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria
    |March 1, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    Electron microscopy revealed plasma membrane disintegration in human fetal muscle cells. This process may explain how muscle cells become multinucleated during embryonic development and regeneration.

    Area of Science:

    • Developmental Biology
    • Cell Biology
    • Muscle Physiology

    Background:

    • Muscle development involves the fusion of myoblasts into myotubes.
    • Striated muscle cells are multinucleated, a characteristic achieved during myogenesis.
    • Understanding the mechanisms of multinucleation is crucial for developmental and regenerative studies.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the ultrastructural changes during human embryonic myogenesis.
    • To elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the multinucleation of developing muscle fibers.
    • To provide insights into the incorporation of nuclei into myotubes.

    Main Methods:

    • Electron microscopy was used to examine muscle tissue.
    • The study analyzed 27 human fetuses, spanning from 9 weeks to 9 months of development.
    • Longitudinally disposed myoblasts and myotubes sharing a common basement membrane were specifically observed.

    Main Results:

    • Observed disintegration of plasma membranes between adjacent myoblasts and myotubes.
    • This membrane disintegration was noted in cells situated within a common basement membrane tube.
    • The findings suggest a mechanism for nuclear incorporation into developing muscle fibers.

    Conclusions:

    • Plasma membrane disintegration is a potential mechanism for nuclear addition to myotubes.
    • This process may explain multinucleation in striated muscle cells during embryonic myogenesis.
    • The findings contribute to understanding muscle development and in vivo regeneration.

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