Summary
The effects of repeated biopsy sampling on muscle morphology was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed in strength-trained and untrained men and women. College-age men (13) and women (8) resistance trained twice a week for 8 weeks. A progressive resistance-training program was performed consisting of squats, leg presses, and leg extensions. Nontraining men (7) and women (5) served as controls. Muscle biopsy specimens and fasting bloods were obtained at the beginning and every 2 weeks and histochemical, biochemical, and ultrastructural methods were employed to assess the type and amount of damage. Except for a few scattered atrophic fibers in 2 of the 33 biopsy samples, all initial specimens were normal. In contrast, many of the subsequent biopsy samples from both untrained and resistance-trained men and women contained evidence of damage. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed that degenerative-regenerative processes were occurring in both groups. However, training subjects had a four-fold greater number of damaged fibers than nontraining subjects (8.53% vs 2.08%). In addition, only biopsy samples from training individuals contained fibers with internal disorganization (e.g., Z-line streaming, myofibrillar disruption). Calpain II levels in the biopsy samples and serum creatine kinase activity were not significantly affected supporting the light and electron microscopic observations that most of the damaged fibers were normal in appearance except for their small diameter. In summary, focal damage induced by the biopsy procedure is not completely repaired after 2 weeks and could affect the results, particularly cross-sectional area measurements. Moreover, resistance training appears to cause additional damage to the muscle and may delay repair of the biopsied region.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amelink GJ, Koot RW, Erich WBM, Van Gijn J, Bar PR (1990) Sex-linked variation in creatine kinase release, and its dependence on oestradiol, can be demonstrated in an in vitro rat skeletal muscle preparation. Acta Physiol Scand 138:115–124
Apple FS, Rogers MA, Casal DC, Lewis L, Ivy JL, Lampe JW (1987) Skeletal muscle creatine kinase MB alterations in women marathon runners. Eur J Appl Physiol 56:49–52
Bergstrom J (1962) Muscle electrolytes in man. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 14 [Suppl 68]: 1–110
Blomstrand E, Ekblom B (1982) The needle biopsy technique for fibre type determination in human skeletal muscle - a methodological study. Acta Physiol Scand 116:437–442
Brooke MH, Kaiser KK (1970) Three “myosin ATPase” systems: the nature of their pH lability and sulfhydryl dependence. J Histochem Cytochem 18:670–672
Byrnes WC, Clarkson PM, White JS, Hsieh SS, Frykman PN, Maughan RK (1985) Delayed onset muscle soreness following repeated bouts of downhill running. J Appl Physiol 59:710–715
Clarkson PM, Tremblay I (1988) Rapid adaptation to exercise induced muscle damage. J Appl Physiol 65:1–6
Clarkson PM, Byrnes WC, McCormick KM, Turcotte LP, White JS (1986) Muscle soreness and serum creatine kinase activity following isometric, eccentric, and concentric exercise. Int J Sports Med 7:152–155
Clarkson PM, Byrnes WC, Gillisson E, Harper E (1987) Adaptation to exercise-induced muscle damage. Clin Sci 73:383–386
Ebbeling CB, Clarkson PM (1990) Muscle adaptation prior to recovery following eccentric exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 60:26–31
Evans WJ, Pinney SD, Young VR (1982) Suction applied to a muscle biopsy maximizes sample size. Med Sci Sports Exerc 14:101
Fisher BD, Baracos VE, Shnitka TK, Mendryk SW, Reid DC (1990) Ultrastructural events following acute muscle trauma. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:185–193
Fridén J, Sjostrom M, Ekblom B (1981) A morphological study of delayed muscle soreness. Experientia 37:506–507
Fridén J, Sjostrom M, Ekblom B (1983a) Myofibrillar damage following intense eccentric exercise in man. Int J Sports Med 4:170–176
Fridén J, Seger J, Sjostrom M, Ekblom B (1983b) Adaptive response in human skeletal muscle subjected to prolonged eccentric training. Int J Sports Med 4:177–183
Fridén J, Seger J, Ekblom B (1988) Sublethal muscle fibre injuries after high-tension anaerobic exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 57:360–368
Goldspink G (1970) The proliferation of myofibrils during muscle fibre growth. J Cell Sci 6: 593–603
Hikida RS, Staron RS, Hagerman FC, Sherman WM, Costill DL (1983) Muscle fiber necrosis associated with human marathon runners. J Neurol Sci 59:185–203
Hikida RS, Staron RS, Hagerman FC, Leonardi M, Gilders R, Falkel J, Murray TF, Appell K (1991) Serum creatine kinase activity and its changes due to a muscle biopsy. Clin Physiol 11:51–59
Hussain H, Dudley GA, Johnson P (1987) Effects of denervation on calpain and calpastatin in hamster skeletal muscles. Exp Neurol 97:635–643
Johnson P, Hammer JL (1988) Calpain and calpastatin levels in dystrophic hamster skeletal muscles. Int J Biochem 20:1227–1230
Lexell J, Taylor C, Sjöström M (1985) Analysis of sampling errors in biopsy techniques using data from whole muscle cross sections. J Appl Physiol 59:1228–1235
Nelson MM, Hikida RS, Staron RS (1991) Effects of repeated muscle biopsy sampling on the morphology of human skeletal muscle. Anat Rec 229:63A
Newham DJ, McPhail G, Mills KR, Edwards RHT (1983) Ultrastructural changes after concentric and eccentric contractions of human muscle. J Neurol Sci 61:109–122
Paul GL, DeLany JP, Snook JT, Seifert JG, Kirby TE (1989) Serum and urinary markers of skeletal muscle tissue damage after weight lifting exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 58:786–790
Pivarnik JM, Hickson JF, Wolinsky IRA (1989) Urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion increases with repeated weight training exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:283–287
Reichman H, Srihar, Pette D (1983) Ipsi- and contralateral fibre transformations by cross-reinnervation. A principle of symmetry. Pflügers Arch 397:202–208
Shear CR, Goldspink G (1971) Structural and physiological changes associated with the growth of avian fast and slow muscle. J Morphol 135:351–372
Staron RS (1991) Correlation between myofibrillar ATPase activity and myosin heavy chain composition in single human muscle fibers. Histochemistry 96:21–24
Staron RS, Pette D (1986) Correlation between myofibrillar ATPase activity and myosin heavy chain composition in rabbit muscle fibers. Histochemistry 86: 19–23
Staron RS, Malicky ES, Leonardi MJ, Falkel JE, Hagerman FC, Dudley GA (1990) Muscle hypertrophy and fast fiber type conversions in heavy resistance-trained women. Eur J Appl Physiol 60:71–79
Staron RS, Leonardi MJ, Karapondo D, Malicky ES, Falkel JE, Hagerman FC, Hikida RS (1991a) Strength and skeletal muscle adaptations in heavy resistance-trained women after detraining and retraining. J Appl Physiol 70:631–640
Staron R, Hikida R, Murray T, Falkel J (1991b) Assessment of skeletal muscle damage in heavy resistance-trained men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23:51–45
Stauber WT, Clarkson PM, Fritz VK, Evans WJ (1990) Extracellular matrix disruption and pain after eccentric muscle action. J Appl Physiol 69: 868–874
Van der Meulen JH, Kuipers H, Drukker J (1991) Relationship between exercise-induced muscle damage and enzyme release in rats. J Appl Physiol 71:999–1004
Zaidi SIM, Narahara HT (1989) Degradation of skeletal muscle plasma membrane proteins by calpain. J Membr Biol 110: 209–216
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Staron, R.S., Hikida, R.S., Murray, T.F. et al. Assessment of skeletal muscle damage in successive biopsies from strength-trained and untrained men and women. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 65, 258–264 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705091
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705091