In vitro model for stretch-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle.

Mechanical stretch of embryonic chicken skeletal myotubes developed in vitro leads to many of the biochemical changes seen in skeletal muscle hypertrophy. These include increased amino acid accumulation, increased incorporation of amino acids into general cellular proteins and myosin heavy chains, and increased accumulation of total protein and myosin heavy chains. This model system should aid in understanding how the growth rate of skeletal muscle is regulated by its activity.