# SKELETAL MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO:  NEW MODEL SYSTEM

> **NIH NIH R01** · MIRIAM HOSPITAL · 1987 · $138,470

## Abstract

Skeletal muscle cells grown in tissue culture have been used over the past
70 years to study the processes of muscle differentiation and development
and their regulation by the nervous system.  Although in vitro studies have
advanced our understanding of these processes, many important in vivo
developmental influences are lost when cells are put into a static,
artificial in vitro environment.  For instance, uninnervated skeletal
myotubes differentiated in vitro are of an embryonic type and never go on
to develop into fibers with adult characteristics (e.g. slow or fast fiber
types).  The purpose of this project is to develop an entirely new in vitro
system to grow skeletal muscle cells under conditions more comparable to
those found in vivo.  Passive and active tensions are known to be important
in vivo for skeletal muscle organogenesis and healthy growth during
embyrogenesis and postnatal development.  We will develop an in vitro
system which places developing skeletal muscle cells under different
patterns of passive tension, simulating those which occur in vivo.  We will
study the effects of this activity on (1) muscle morphogenesis by
ultrastructural microscopic techniques; (2) muscle growth characteristics
determined by protein and DNA accumulation, rates of total protein and
myosin heavy chain synthesis and degradation, and specific proteinase
(cathepsin) activities; and (3) myosin light and heavy chain gene
expression using specific monoclonal antibodies.  These studies should
advance our knowledge of the forces which regulate skeletal muscle
differentiation and growth, and better delineate the mechanism by which the
nervous system regulates skeletal muscle fiber properties.  They may also
increase our understanding of the developmental defects which occur in
congenital limb malformations and the muscular dystrophies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157518
- **Project number:** 5R01AR036266-03
- **Recipient organization:** MIRIAM HOSPITAL
- **SAM.gov UEI:** KD5TGBT7AKC9
- **Principal Investigator:** HERMAN H VANDENBURGH
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $138,470
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-09-01 → 1989-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157518

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157518, SKELETAL MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO:  NEW MODEL SYSTEM (5R01AR036266-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157518. Licensed CC0.

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