Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ !
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ is a genetic condition where the animal looks heavily muscled, despite having normal exercise, diet, and other lifestyle factors.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Theoretically any species could get this. However we most commonly think of it in dogs and cattle! In dogs, this condition is typically seen in โbully whippetsโ. In cattle, it is a breed trait seen in Belgian Blue and Piedmontese.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This condition is caused by a mutation in the gene ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง, which is a ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ of gene growth. Basically, when myostatin is present, it reduces the size and number of muscle fibers the animal develops. With this mutation, this regulation is lost, and the animal develops significantly more muscle fibers, and significantly larger fibers. Weird!
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
In general this isnโt an issue, however for mothers it can be a major cause of ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐๐ข๐ (difficulty giving birth). This is due to the massive size of the baby, thanks to all that extra muscle. In fact, the cattle breeds that have this mutation as part of their breed standard almost always require Caesarian sections to give birth.
๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ก๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฆ?
Actually, there are currently studies going on where they are trying to use myostatin to treat muscular dystrophy. As of 2020, there is currently one myostatin inhibitor that has been approved by the FDA and is currently undergoing clinical trials. The lack of an approved drug hasnโt stopped athletes from trying to capitalize on myostatin inhibition however! There is some research to suggest that ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ (found in red meat and fish) and ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง (found in green tea, chocolate and blackberries) may have myostatin inhibitory effects. However, these effects would not be strong enough to give you double muscling without exercise. So grab a chocolate bar and hit the gym!
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1) A Belgian Blue with double muscling.
2) A double muscled โbully whippetโ.
3) A โbully whippetโ next to a regular whippet.
4) A regular mouse next to a double muscled mouse.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-2 courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Photo 3 courtesy of Shelton, G.D. and Engvall, E.
Photo 4 courtesy of Lee, S-J.
