This study was designed to examine the time-course changes in capillarity, especially the distribution of arteriolar and venular capillaries, in skeletal muscles during endurance training by running in young female Wistar rats. Exercise training by running started at the age of 5 weeks and lasted for 5 weeks at 25 m min(-1) on a 25% gradient, 10-60 min day(-1), 5 days per week. Morphological findings were obtained from the soleus (SOL) and deep portions of the medial gastrocnemius (GASd) muscles. In SOL, the training significantly increased the capillary-to-fibre ratio (C:F), total capillary density, and density of venular capillaries at Week 1. Significant increases in the C:F and total capillary density were also observed at Weeks 4 and 5. The capillary domain area (CDA) values for total capillary and arteriolar and venular capillaries were significantly decreased after 4 weeks of training. In GASd, the training significantly increased the C:F at Week 1 and from Week 3 onwards. It also significantly increased cross-sectional area of all fibre types. Total capillary density and the CDA values showed no significant difference between control and training groups at all points of time. Significant increases in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity were first noted after 2 weeks in GASd and after 3 weeks in SOL. These findings suggest that, in young growing rats, adaptive changes in the oxygen transport system occurred within 1 week after the onset of training mainly in highly oxidative muscles. The changes in arteriolar and venular capillary densities may help to clarify the growth pattern of the capillary network associated with endurance running training.

The eects of strength training with partial tourniquet ischaemia on skeletal muscle capillarity were examined, particularly in terms of the distribution of arteriolar and venular capillaries and their capillary domain area, in male Wistar rats. A tourniquet applied around the knee joint induced partial ischaemia. Repeated isometric contractions of calf muscles, 1 s on/1 s o for 3 min, induced by electrical stimulation (100 Hz), were conducted 2 days/week for 6 weeks as training. Morphologic data were obtained from four groups; non-treatment control (C), ischaemic (IS), non-ischaemic training (NIT) and ischaemic training (IT). In the super®cial portion of gastrocnemius (GASs) muscle, the total capillary density of arteriolar capillaries was signi®cantly greater in the IT-leg than in the C-leg (P < 0.05). In the plantaris (PL) muscle, these values were signi®cantly greater in the IT-leg than in both the C-and NIT-legs (P < 0.05). Only in the GASs was the capillary-to-®bre ratio signi®cantly greater in the IT-leg than in the C-leg (P < 0.05). In GASs and PL, the capillary domain area (CDA) was smaller in the IT-leg than in the C-and NIT-legs. In all muscles examined, mean ®bre cross-sectional area was not signi®cantly changed by the experimental treatment. These ®ndings suggest that adaptive changes in the microvascular network, identi®ed as an increase in the arteriolar capillary area and a reduction in diusion distance, occur in the skeletal muscles after strength training with partial ischaemia. These adaptive changes probably improve the supply of oxygen and nutrients to skeletal muscle tissues.

This study was designed to examine the time-course changes in capillarity, especially the distribution of arteriolar and venular capillaries, in skeletal muscles during endurance training by running in young female Wistar rats. Exercise training by running started at the age of 5 weeks and lasted for 5 weeks at 25 m min(-1) on a 25% gradient, 10-60 min day(-1), 5 days per week. Morphological findings were obtained from the soleus (SOL) and deep portions of the medial gastrocnemius (GASd) muscles. In SOL, the training significantly increased the capillary-to-fibre ratio (C:F), total capillary density, and density of venular capillaries at Week 1. Significant increases in the C:F and total capillary density were also observed at Weeks 4 and 5. The capillary domain area (CDA) values for total capillary and arteriolar and venular capillaries were significantly decreased after 4 weeks of training. In GASd, the training significantly increased the C:F at Week 1 and from Week 3 onwards. It also significantly increased cross-sectional area of all fibre types. Total capillary density and the CDA values showed no significant difference between control and training groups at all points of time. Significant increases in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity were first noted after 2 weeks in GASd and after 3 weeks in SOL. These findings suggest that, in young growing rats, adaptive changes in the oxygen transport system occurred within 1 week after the onset of training mainly in highly oxidative muscles. The changes in arteriolar and venular capillary densities may help to clarify the growth pattern of the capillary network associated with endurance running training.