Summary
Muscular dysgenesis in trunk and limb regions of the crooked neck dwarf (cn/cn) fowl is characterized by a complete disorganization of the muscles, starting at 7.5 days of incubation and resulting, at the end of the incubation period, in a profound muscular atrophy. It has previously been attributed to progressively extending defects of the myotubes. In this paper, embryonic cn/cn head and neck muscles were subjected to histological and ultrastructural analysis. The mononucleated myoblasts of the skeletal muscles are not diseased. Pathology is only expressed in the multinucleated cells, mainly by impaired sarcomerogenesis and distension of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In the non-skeletal (cardiac or smooth) muscles, the connective tissue scaffolding and the ultrastructural features are similar to those of normal muscles at the same age. The present report confirms that the cn defect is confined to the skeletal muscle cells. All of them belong to the same lineage, which is contained in the somitic mesoderm, whether the latter becomes segmented or not during embryogenesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chevallier A (1978) Contribution à l'étude des potentialités morphogénétiques du mésoderme somitique et du mésoderme somatopleural chez l'embryon d'Oiseau. Thèse de Doctorat ès sciences, Grenoble
Chevallier A (1979) Role of the somitic mesoderm in the development of the thorax in bird embryos. II. Origin of the thoracic and appendicular musculature. J Embryol Exp Morphol 49:73–88
Chevallier A, Kieny M, Mauger A (1976) Sur l'origine de la musculature de l'aile chez les oiseaux. CR Acad Sci Paris 282:309–311
Chevallier A, Kieny M, Mauger A (1977) Limb-somite relationship: origin of the limb musculature. J Embryol Exp Morphol 41:245–258
Christ B, Jacob HJ, Jacob M (1974) Über den Ursprung der Flügelmuskulatur. Experimentelle Untersuchungen mit Wachtel- und Hühnerembryonen. Experientia 30:1445–1448
Christ B, Jacob HJ, Jacob M (1977) Experimental analysis of the origin of the wing musculature in avian embryos. Anat Embryol 150:171–186
Kenny-Mobbs T, Thorogood P (1986) Tissue interactions in the development of skeletal muscle in the brachial region of avian embryos. Bibl Anat 29:47–64
Kieny M, Mauger A, Hedayat I, Goetinck PF (1983) Ontogeny of the leg muscle tissue in the crooked neck dwarf mutant (cn/cn) chick embryo. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 72:1–17
Kieny M, Pautou MP, Chevallier A, Mauger A (1986) Spatial organization of the developing limb musculature in birds and mammals. Bibl Anat 29:65–90
Kieny M, Boutineau AM, Pautou MP, Goetinck PF (1988) Muscular dysgenesis in fowl: ultrastructural study of skeletal muscles in the crooked neck dwarf (cn/cn) mutant. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp (in press)
Mauger A, Kieny M, Hedayat I, Goetinck PF (1983) Tissue interactions in the organization and maintenance of the muscle pattern in the avian limb. J Embryol Exp Morphol 76:199–215
Mauger A, Kieny M, Goetinck PF (1984) Immunofluorescent localization of extracellular matrix components during muscle morphogenesis. II. In chick embryos with hereditary muscular dysgenesis (cn/cn). J Exp Zool 232:343–358
Noden DM (1983a) The role of the neural crest cells in patterning of avian cranial skeletal, connective and muscle tissues. Dev Biol 96:144–165
Noden DM (1983b) The embryonic origins of avian craniofacial muscles and associated connective tissues. Am J Anat 168:257–276
Noden DM (1984) Craniofacial development: New views on old problems. Anat Rec 208:1–13
Rosenberg IE (1947) Histological studies of muscle from crooked neck dwarf fowl. Anat Rec 97:277–282
Wachtler F, Jacob M (1986) Origin and development of cranial skeletal muscles. Bibl Anat 29:24–46
Wick RA, Allenspach AL (1978) Histological study of muscular hypoplasia in the crooked neck dwarf mutant (cn/cn) chick embryo. J Morphol 158:21–30
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kieny, M., Boutineau, A.M., Pautou, M.P. et al. The crooked neck dwarf muscular dysgenesis in fowl is due to a selective alteration of the somitic myogenic cell line. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 197, 49–55 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376041
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376041