Figure 4.

Effects of a tryptophan (Trp)-deficient diet on the body weight and skeletal muscles of mice. (a) Time courses of body weight changes, measured twice a week, in C57BL/6 mice (nine-week-old, female) fed a standard diet (n = 5) or a Trp-deficient diet (n = 5). (b) Serum Trp levels on day 21. (c) Weights of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius collected after 21 days. (d) Pathological changes in the tibialis anterior were evaluated by staining with hematoxylin and eosin, and cross-section muscle fiber diameters were measured. Scale bars = 40 µm. (e) Serum myostatin levels on day 21. *p < 0.05.