Developmental Characteristics of Skeletal Muscle during the Embryonic Stage in Chinese Yellow Quail (<i>Coturnix japonica</i>)
Li Liu,
Lingqian Yin,
Yaohan Yuan,
Yuan Tang,
Zhongzhen Lin,
Yiping Liu,
Jiandong Yang
Affiliations
Li Liu
Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lingqian Yin
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yaohan Yuan
Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yuan Tang
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Zhongzhen Lin
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yiping Liu
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jiandong Yang
Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
The quail is an important research model, and the demand for quail meat has been increasing in recent years; therefore, it is worthwhile investigating the development of embryonic skeletal muscle and the expression patterns of regulatory genes. In this study, the expression of MyoD and Pax7 in the breast muscle (m. pectoralis major) and leg muscle (m. biceps femoris) of quail embryos on days 10 through 17 were determined using qRT-PCR. Paraffin sections of embryonic muscle were analyzed to characterize changes over time. Results showed that MyoD and Pax7 were expressed in both breast and leg muscles and played a significant role in embryonic muscle development. Compared to breast muscle, leg muscle grew faster and had greater weight and myofiber size. The findings suggested that embryonic day 12 (E12) may be a key point for muscle development. Correlation analysis showed that MyoD expression was significantly negatively correlated with muscle and embryo weight, whereas Pax7 gene expression had no significant correlation with these characteristics. These fundamental results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the characteristics and transition points of skeletal muscle development in quail embryos and an important reference for farmers raising quail from eggs.
