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. 2012 Mar 30;220(6):603–611. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2012.01503.x

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Myostatin deletion changes the morphology and thickness of the connective tissue in mouse muscles. Cryo-SEM of freeze fractured mid-belly surface of the tibialis anterior (TA) and biceps brachii (BB) muscle after solubilisation of contractile proteins. (A) Four-month-old mstn+/+ TA shows a mixture of dense and fine fibres. (B) Four-month-old mstn−/− TA shows mostly fine fibres. (C) Nineteen-month-old mstn+/+ TA shows a dense honeycomb pattern of connective tissue. (D) Nineteen-month-old mstn−/− TA contains larger connective tissue compartments made of low-density fibres. (E) Four-month-old mstn+/+ BB shows a densely arranged regular network of collagen fibrils dense fibre. (F) Four-month-old mstn−/− BB shows less dense fibres that are often irregularly oriented. (G) Quantification of endomysial thickness of TA. (H) Quantification of endomysial thickness of BB. (I) Quantification of perimysial thickness of TA. (J) Quantification of perimysial thickness of BB. *Significant changes in thickness (P < 0.001).