Observations on Culture in vitro of Normal and Dystrophic Muscle Tissue.

Abstract

The changes in protein nitrogen and DNA deoxyribonucleic acid contents of normal chick wing muscle tissue and of tissue from chick with muscular dystrophy were compared after culture in roller tubes. No significant differences in the 2 parameters were found for normal and dystrophic tissue when grown in a medium containing 5% embryo extract. When grown in 2.5% embryo extract the cultures from donors of an age of 2 weeks and older showed a statistically significant difference. Protein nitrogen of the cultures from dystrophic muscle decreased during the 7-14 day culture period, whereas no comparable decrease was observed in cultures of normal tissue. Changes in the DNA content did not indicate definite differences. Differences between several parameters determined in normal and dystrophic human muscle tissue cultures were highly inconsistent or of no apparent relevance for the pathological state of the tissue.