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. 2019 Mar 20;10(3):630–642. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12409

Figure 2.

Figure 2

FGF21 is required for muscle atrophy and weakness during fasting. (A) mRNA expression of FGF21 in GNM of fed and starved FGF21f/f mice. (B) H&E staining of control (FGF21f/f) and KO mice (FGF21−/−) GNM muscle. (C) PAS staining shows more glycogen content in FGF21 null muscles. (D) Cross‐sectional area of fed and 48 h starved GNM muscles. (E) Fibre size distribution from fed (left panel) and starved (right panel) control (black dashed line) and FGF21 KO (red line) muscles. (F) CSA of myofibers expressing myosin heavy chain types IIA and IIB‐IIX of starved control and KO mice. (G) Force measurements performed in vivo on gastrocnemius showed that FGF21−/− muscles preserve muscle force after fasting. Force/frequency curve of FGF21f/f (left panel) and FGF21−/− (right panel). Data are shown as mean ± SEM. Significance P < 0.05 *vs. control fed, §vs. control starved. CSA, cross‐sectional area; FGF21, fibroblast growth factor 21; H&E, haematoxylin and eosin; KO, knockout; PAS, periodic acid–Schiff.