Dynamic profiling of myogenesis in developing ovine skeletal muscle

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Developmental Biology
• Muscle Physiology

Background:

• Muscle fiber characteristics are critical for meat production in farm animals.
• Understanding embryonic and fetal myogenesis is pivotal for optimizing livestock quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize ovine myoblast and myofiber formation during embryonic and fetal development.
• To elucidate the mechanisms underlying muscle development in sheep.

Main Methods:

• Histocytology analysis across 11 developmental time points.
• Transcriptome analysis of ovine skeletal muscle from early embryo to pre-birth.

Main Results:

• Identified two distinct waves of myogenesis: primary and secondary myofiber generation.
• Revealed developmental hierarchies including myogenic determination, myofiber growth, maturation, and satellite cell (SC) generation.
• Delineated gene expression patterns and identified gene clusters associated with specific developmental phases.

Conclusions:

• The study provides substantial evidence and insights into the programming mechanisms of ovine skeletal muscle myogenesis.
• Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of fetal muscle development for potential applications in meat production.