Effects of different intensity endurance training on the capillary network in rat skeletal muscle

Effects of low- and high-intensity endurance training on the capillary luminal diameter and number were studied morphometrically in the rat plantaris muscle. Male Wistar-Imamichi rats were divided into three groups: sedentary control group (Cont, n = 9), low-intensity (running speed of 20 m/min) training group (T-20, n = 8) and high-intensity (running speed of 40 m/min) training group (T-40, n = 7). Rats in both training groups were subjected to each treadmill running program for 60 min/day, 5 days/week for 9 weeks. After 9 weeks of training, citrate synthase activity significantly increased in T-40 compared with Cont, but did not change in T-20. All morphometric parameters with respect to capillary and muscle fiber area were determined in the perfusion-fixed plantaris muscle. The mean muscle fiber areas in both T-20 and T-40 were similar to that in Cont. The capillary-to-fiber ratios were significantly higher in T-20 (2.28 +/- 0.06) and T-40 (2.29 +/- 0.06) than in Cont (2.00 +/- 0.07). The number of capillaries with a small luminal diameter (2-4 microns) was significantly higher in T-20 than in Cont. In contrast, T-40 had a significantly higher number of capillaries with a large luminal diameter (8-10 microns) compared with Cont. This study indicates that endurance training induces changes in the capillary luminal diameter as well as capillary number, and that the adaptive response of the capillary luminal diameter to endurance training depends on the training intensity.