Muscle morphogenesis in the absence of myogenic cells

Anat Embryol (Berl). 1991;183(1):67-70. doi: 10.1007/BF00185836.

Abstract

Experimental evidence indicates, that the myogenic cells themselves are not responsible for the muscle pattern formation. We report on a chance observation that reveals that muscle pattern formation can occur even in the absence of myogenic cells. Epiblastic cells from a quail embryo in the primitive streak stage were implanted into the wing bud of a chick embryo. The grafted quail cells developed into mononucleate, fibroblast-like cells that formed the muscle belly of the extensor medius longus muscle. This showed essentially normal form and topography as revealed by computer-aided 3D-reconstruction. This finding shows, that the formation of muscles does not depend on the presence of myogenic cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Computer Simulation
  • Morphogenesis
  • Muscles / embryology*
  • Quail / embryology*
  • Wings, Animal / embryology