Acute fasting and fiber number in rat soleus muscle.

The influence of fasting on fiber number in the soleus muscle (SM) of weanling male and female rats was investigated. For female rats, comparisons were made among groups of animals fed normally, rats fasted and then fed until prefast body weight was regained, and animals that grew to maturity. For male rats, comparisons were made only between control and fasted groups. Prior to the experimental treatments the SM was surgically removed from one leg. There was a 40% loss in body weight after fasting. Although major weight losses occurred in most muscles and organs, there was no change in the SM. Over the same period SM weight increased 31% in normal animals. Total fiber number (direct counts after nitric acid digestion) was unaltered by the treatments. Although wide variation existed between animals, total fiber number between legs for the same animal was closely correlated (r = 0.98). SM weight for male rats calculated from fiber length, cross-sectional area, and total fiber number could account for from 91 to 99% of the total muscle weight. There was no change in fiber number from weaning to maturity. It is concluded that fiber number is unchanged by fasting or during normal maturation.