Muscle fiber capillarization is associated with various indices of skeletal muscle mass in healthy, older men

Muscle fiber capillarization plays a fundamental role in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass maintenance. However, it remains unclear to what extent capillarization is related to various other skeletal muscle characteristics. In this study we determined whether muscle fiber capillarization is independently associated with measures of skeletal muscle mass, both on a whole-body and cellular level, and post-absorptive muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy older men. Forty-six healthy older (70 ± 4 y) men participated in a trial during which basal muscle protein synthesis rates were assessed using stable isotope tracer methodology. Blood and muscle biopsy samples were collected to assess post-absorptive muscle protein synthesis rates over a 3-hour period. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine various indices of muscle fiber capillarization, size, type distribution, and myonuclear content/domain size. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans were performed to determine whole-body and appendicular lean tissue mass. Capillary-to-fiber ratio (C/Fi) and perimeter exchange (CFPE) index correlated with whole-body lean tissue mass (r = 0.43, P