Variability in skeletal muscle fibre characteristics during repeated muscle biopsy sampling in human vastus lateralis
Abstract
The percutaneous muscle biopsy procedure is an invaluable tool for characterizing skeletal muscle and capillarization. Little is known about methodological or biological variation stemming from the technique in heterogeneous muscle. Five muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis of a group of young men (n = 29, 22 ± 1 years) over a 96-h period. We investigated the repeatability of fibre distribution, indices of muscle capillarization and perfusion, and myofibre characteristics. No differences between the biopsies were reported in myofibre type distribution, cross-sectional area (CSA), and perimeter. Capillary-to-fibre perimeter exchange index and individual capillary-fibre contacts were unchanged with respect to the location of the muscle biopsy and index of capillarization. The variability in the sampling distribution of fibre type specific muscle CSA increased when fewer than 150 muscle fibres were quantified. Variability in fibre type distribution increased when fewer than 150 muscle fibres were quantified. Myofibre characteristics and indices of capillarization are largely consistent throughout the vastus lateralis when assessed via the skeletal muscle biopsy technique. Novelty Markers of muscle capillarization and perfusion were unchanged across multiple sites of the human vastus lateralis. Myofibre characteristics such as muscle cross-sectional area, perimeter, and fibre type distribution were also unchanged. Variation of muscle CSA was higher when fewer than 150 muscle fibres were quantified.
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The variation in observed prepost correlations may reflect small differences in biopsy site, tissue handling and weighing, muscle fiber-type composition, and/or individual differences in substrate utilization.
“This variation may re fl ect small differences in biopsy site, tissue handling and weighing, muscle fi ber-type composition, and/or individual differences in substrate utilization (81 -83).”
From Carbohydrate ingestion during prolonged exercise and net skeletal muscle glycogen utilization: A meta-analysis. (2026) · cites this paper as [83]
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- Authors
- Nederveen, J. P., Ibrahim, G., Fortino, S. A., Snijders, T., Kumbhare, D., & Parise, G.
- Affiliations
- McMaster University (CA)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
- Maastricht University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Snijders, Tim
- Parise, Gianni
- Venue
- Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2020-04
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 368-375
- ISSN
- 1715-5312 (ISSN-L)
- 1715-5320
- OpenAlex
- W3012691608
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 5.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- vastus lateralis, fiber type distribution, muscle capillarization, muscle blood flow, sample size, repeatability
- MeSH terms
- Biopsy, Needle, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Male, Muscle Fibers, Skeletal, Young Adult
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