The manner and rate of nuclear proliferation and accumulation in rat skeletal muscle was investigated using a model of induced permanent growth impairment in rats to gain additional insight into the regulation of skeletal muscle growth. Comparisons were made at 1, 21 and 175 d between control progeny and progeny of dams restricted during gestation and lactation to 50% the daily feed intake of ad libitum fed controls, followed by realimentation after weaning. Estimates of total satellite cells/muscle were lower (P less than .01) in soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) of restricted progeny at 21 and 175 d. Estimates of total satellite cells/muscle increased nearly twofold between 21 and 175 d in the soleus and decreased slightly in EDL in both treatment groups. Satellite cell concentration expressed as a percentage of total muscle nuclei was not different between restricted and control progeny at either 1 or 175 d. However, while satellite cell percentages decreased about 50% between 1 and 21 d in controls, they remained at initial levels in restricted progeny. Incidence of satellite cells/muscle fiber (satellite cell concentration) decreased between 1 and 21 d in control soleus and EDL, but remained unchanged or was slightly higher in soleus and EDL of restricted progeny at 21 d. Incidence of satellite cells continued to decrease between 21 and 175 d in restricted and control EDL and restricted soleus, but was unchanged in control soleus. Incidence of myonuclei/fiber (myonuclei concentration) increased with age (P less than .005), was not affected by growth impairment either before or after realimentation and was higher (P less than .005) in soleus than EDL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)