Power-lifters have hypertrophic muscle fibers with fissures seen in cross-sections, called as fiber splitting. Whether this phenomenon is due to real splitting or defective regeneration has not been settled. To elucidate this matter,we have examined biopsies from the trapezius and vastus lateralis of power lifters (P group) and power lifters self-administrating anabolic steroids (PAS group). For this purpose, immunohistochemical staining of serial cross -sections was used. The PAS group had significantly more fibers with fissures than the P group in the vastus lateralis (1.2%+/-0.95% vs 0.35+/-0.34, P < 0.05) but not in the trapezius muscle (1.7% in both groups). Serial sections revealed that the fibers with fissures changed their profile profoundly over short distances. Some such fibers had a mature staining profile, whereas other fibers indicated recent degeneration and/or regeneration. Activation of satellite cells and formation of aberrant segments were also evident. We conclude that the so-called split fibers are due to defect regeneration. Some fibers with fissures are the results of old events of segmental muscle fiber damage, whereas the others reflect an ongoing process. The normal regenerative process is most likely disturbed in power-lifters by their continuous training with repeated high mechanical stress on the muscles.