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The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Advance Access first published online on February 5, 2009
This version published online on February 9, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, doi:10.1093/gerona/gln050
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Following Resistance Training Is Accompanied by a Fiber Type–Specific Increase in Satellite Cell Content in Elderly Men

Lex B. Verdijk1, Benjamin G. Gleeson1, Richard A. M. Jonkers1, Kenneth Meijer1, Hans H. C. M. Savelberg1, Paul Dendale3 and Luc J. C. van Loon1,2

1 Department of Human Movement Sciences
2 Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, the Netherlands
3 Rehabilitation and Health Centre, Virga Jesse Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium

Address correspondence to Lex Verdijk, MSc, Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands. Email: lex.verdijk{at}bw.unimaas.nl


  Abstract

We determined muscle fiber type–specific hypertrophy and changes in satellite cell (SC) content following a 12-week resistance training program in 13 healthy, elderly men (72 ± 2 years). Leg strength and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography) were assessed, and muscle biopsy samples were collected. Leg strength increased 25%–30% after training (p < .001). Leg lean mass and quadriceps cross-sectional area increased 6%–9% (p < .001). At baseline, mean fiber area and SC content were smaller in the Type II versus Type I muscle fibers (p < .01). Following training, Type II muscle fiber area increased from 5,438 ± 319 to 6,982 ± 503 µm2 (p < .01). Type II muscle fiber SC content increased from 0.048 ± 0.003 to 0.084 ± 0.008 SCs per fiber (p < .001). No changes were observed in the Type I muscle fibers. In older adults, skeletal muscle tissue is still capable of inducing SC proliferation and differentiation, resulting in Type II muscle fiber hypertrophy.

Keywords Aging; Exercise; Muscle plasticity

Received: June 23, 2008; Accepted: September 14, 2008

Decision Editor: Charlotte A. Petersen, PhD

The editor's changes have been incorporated.


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