神经肌亚体内肌纤维型的生后发育

将生后2天、2周、4周、8周、12周、16周、20周、24周的家兔胫骨前肌分成前、后亚体,分别得到腓得神经主要肌分支的支配,腓深神经分支的神经分布型式随年龄增长而递降.每个肌亚体组织化学特征经由乙酰胆碱碘溶液孵育后的运动终板而确定.肌纤维可分成SO、FG、FOG和FO型.除外生后2天龄之外,前、后亚体内SO、FG、FOG肌纤维在生后2周龄、4周龄、8周龄分别约占30%左右,生后12周龄以后,在前亚体内的SO型与FOG型纤维比率下降和FG型纤维升高要超过后亚体.全部肌纤维型在生后2周龄、4周龄、8周龄、12周龄的每个肌亚体的深、中、浅部都是均匀性分布.然而,不同部位的肌纤维类型差别明显,深部以氧化型为主,而浅部则以糖酵解型为主.这种差别在生后16、20、24周龄是最典型的.两个亚体生后发育期间的每条肌纤维毛细血管数(NCF)表明SO>FO>FOG>FG型纤维和毛细血管数与肌纤维横切面积比(CCA)显示FO>SO>FOG>FG型纤维,由此指出氧供较大需求的获得是通过减小肌纤维的面积而不仅仅是依赖于增加毛细血管数量.     

家兔与大鼠胫骨前肌的生后发育

为探讨家兔、大鼠胫骨前肌在生后各日龄阶段前、后亚体内快慢肌纤维的发育情况，应用大体解剖结合组织化学法明确其肌亚体，并作琥珀酸脱氢酶（SDH）染色，图象分析两型肌纤维的直径特征。用电生理记录仪，分别测量肌前、后亚体功能。结果表明：家兔与大鼠各肌亚体划分在生后发育中逐渐分界清楚，生后2、3天均未能分出Ⅰ、Ⅱ型肌纤维，也未见有原始肌束。Ⅰ、Ⅱ型肌纤维比例随年龄增长而变化，Ⅱ型纤维比例增大。Ⅱ型纤维直径均大于Ⅰ型纤维，葡萄状运动神经末梢支配慢肌纤维，斑点状运动终板位于快肌纤维，前后肌亚体诱发电位表明其特殊的功能。     

畜禽肉品品质的组织学评价

畜禽的肉品品质与其肌肉组织学特性有显著的相关性，相关因素包括肌纤维直径，密度，肌长节长度，肌组织面积比，结缔组织面积比和脂肪组织面积比，根据对各性状性状间相关性的研究结果表明，肉品的嫩度主要由肌纤维密度直径决定，鲜香味由肌间脂肪比例决定。     

家兔腓肠肌和胫前肌NADH-TR染色的探讨

研究成年家兔腓肠肌内外侧头和胫前肌的肌纤维构成比例与分布.应用烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸四唑氧化还原酶（NADH-TR）染色法,观察比较各型肌纤维的组织化学特性.结果表明：NADH-TR染色,依据其肌纤维内线粒体和肌质网显示紫色或紫蓝色,肌原纤维中的肌动蛋白和肌球蛋白不着色,可以分为Ⅰ型、ⅡA型、ⅡB型肌纤维,横切面呈多边形或椭圆形,以镶嵌交叉方式排列.三种类型的肌纤维在腓肠肌内侧头中分别约占15.2%,27.4%和57.4%,在站立负荷中提供足够肌力和稳定机体姿势的作用;在腓肠肌外侧头中分别约占13.7%,65.4%和20.9%,主要参与力量和速度运动,提供奔跑,跳跃中的推进动力;在胫前肌中约占10.9%,52.3%和36.8%,维持跗关节稳定,参与保持足弓形状与弹性,完成足跖屈和足内翻运动.腓肠肌内外侧头和胫前肌的三型肌纤维直径有所差异,其中Ⅰ型纤维为57.50～58.40 μm,ⅡA型纤维为59.25～75.40 μm,ⅡB型纤维为73.25～97.85 μm.ⅡB型纤维的横切面积最大,ⅡA型纤维的横切面积中等,Ⅰ型纤维的横切面积最小.     

12月龄西藏羊肌纤维特性研究

试验以12月龄的西藏羊为研究对象,采用石蜡切片的方法,测定了其背最长肌、臂三头肌和股二头肌的肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积和肌纤维密度。结果表明:西藏羊公羊的背最长肌、臂三头肌和股二头肌等3个肌肉部位间的肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积和肌纤维密度等差异不显著(P>0.05),母羊的背最长肌、臂三头肌和股二头肌也表现出同样的规律;背最长肌和股二头肌的肌纤维直径和肌纤维面积均为公羊高于母羊,肌纤维密度为母羊高于公羊,但差异均不显著(P>0.05),臂三头肌的肌纤维直径为公羊显著高于母羊(P<0.05),肌纤维面积和肌纤维密度与背最长肌和股二头肌一致。     

豫西黑猪不同屠宰体重肌纤维组织学及成肌调控基因发育性变化

【目的】试验旨在揭示豫西黑猪背最长肌肌纤维组织学、肌纤维类型和成肌调控相关基因发育性变化及其相互之间的关系。【方法】选取平均体重约为60、75、90、105和120 kg共5个体重阶段的豫西黑猪，每个体重屠宰3头，共15头，公母随机。采用HE染色和免疫荧光染色分析快慢肌类型组成和纤维组织学特性，利用实时荧光定量PCR方法测定成肌调控相关基因生肌决定因子（myogenic differentiation，MyoD）、配对盒7（paired-box 7，Pax7）、肌肉生长抑制素（myostatin，MSTN）、肌细胞生成素（myogenin，MyoG）、肌细胞增强因子2C （myocyte enhancer factor 2C，MEF2C）和肌纤维肌球蛋白重链（myosin heavy chain，MyHC）亚型的mRNA表达量。【结果】随着豫西黑猪体重的增加，肌纤维密度整体呈下降趋势，在75 kg时极显著高于其他体重阶段（P<0.01），肌纤维面积和肌纤维直径整体呈上升趋势；慢肌面积占比在60和105 kg时显著或极显著低于其他体重阶段（P<0.05；P<0.01），快慢肌所占面积总百分比在90 kg时极显著低于其他体重阶段（P<0.01）。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果发现，MyHCⅠ基因mRNA表达量在75和105 kg时极显著高于其他体重阶段（P<0.01），MyHCⅡA基因mRNA表达量整体呈下降趋势，MyHCⅡX基因mRNA表达量在60 kg时达到最高，而MyHCⅡB基因mRNA表达量在75 kg时极显著低于其他体重阶段（P<0.01）；MyoD、Pax7、MSTN、MyoG、MEF2C基因mRNA表达量分别于60、75、90、120、120 kg时达到最大值。相关性分析结果表明，除MSTN基因外，MyoG、MyoD、Pax7和MEF2C基因均与肌纤维形态和MyHC基因各亚型之间有显著或极显著的相关性（P<0.05；P<0.01）；通过对120 kg的豫西黑猪和杜洛克猪比较发现，两者间肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积、肌纤维密度，以及MyHC和相关成肌调控基因mRNA表达量均有极显著差异（P<0.01）。【结论】在豫西黑猪60~120 kg生长阶段，肌纤维面积、肌纤维直径整体呈上升趋势，肌纤维密度呈下降趋势；在肌肉发育过程中，纤维类型组成的变化主要是Ⅰ、ⅡA、ⅡX型肌纤维向ⅡB型肌纤维的转化；与杜洛克猪相比，豫西黑猪肌纤维面积和肌纤维直径较大，肌纤维密度较低，MyHCⅠ与MyHCⅡA基因mRNA表达量较高。     

新西兰白兔生后骨骼肌发育的超微结构及组织化学研究

通过组织学、组织化学和超薄切片的方法对生后不同日龄新西兰白兔的骨骼肌发育特，点进行了系统研究。研究表明，初生兔在组织学结构和ＳＤＨ酶的分布等方面尚未发育完善，需在生后一周左右才发育成熟，骨骼肌纤维才可区分为：红肌纤维、白肌纤维和中间型肌纤维三种类型。三种肌纤维类型所占比例随着兔的生长发育而发生变化。骨骼肌的迅速生长期主要在初生至６周龄。６周龄时，肌纤维的直径、肌原纤维直径及每根肌原纤维所含的微肌丝数分别比初生时增加了７０％、１８８％和１７９％，但肌桨部分的比例（即不含肌纤维的胞桨部分）下降５３．４６％，其中肌原纤维中的微肌丝数量的迅速增加是导致肌纤维直径迅速增长及胞桨比例下降的主要原因。因此，在初生１６周龄期间提供足够的蛋白质营养，无论对肌纤维的酶分化，还是对其生长发育都十分重要。新西兰白兔的骨骼肌纤维由肌节为单位组成，肌节的基本结构在胚胎期就已决定，不随兔日龄的增长而变化，而与科属特性有关。随着兔的生长发育，骨骼肌纤维的糖原、线粒体、脂滴和肌桨网终池等呈现出规律性变化。１２周龄兔的肌纤维直径较细，细胞中含有中等量的线粒体、糖原及肌桨网终池，并且肌原纤维间分布有适量的细小脂滴等     

中国西门塔尔牛肌肉肌纤维类型和肉品质特性研究

为研究中国西门塔尔牛的肌纤维和肉品质特性,本试验以10头中国西门塔尔公牛为研究对象,测定了背最长肌、腰大肌和半腱肌的组织学特性、pH、系水力、剪切力和质构剖面分析。结果显示,肌纤维直径Ⅰ型 < ⅡA型 < ⅡB型,腰大肌中Ⅰ型具有最高的肌纤维数比例和肌纤维面积比,背最长肌和半腱肌中ⅡB型具有最高的肌纤维比例和肌纤维面积比。与腰大肌相比,背最长肌和半腱肌具有较低pH、弹性和压力失水率,较高的剪切力、硬度和回复性。综上所述,肌纤维特性影响牛肉品质,特别是牛肉的质构特性,提高Ⅰ型纤维比例和降低ⅡB型纤维比例能够改善牛肉嫩度。     

12月龄白萨福克与藏羊杂交F_1代羊肌纤维特性研究

试验以12月龄的白-藏羊为研究对象,采用石蜡切片的方法,测定了其背最长肌、臂三头肌和股二头肌的肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积和肌纤维密度。结果表明:白-藏羊公羊的背最长肌、臂三头肌和股二头肌等3个肌肉部位间的肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积和肌纤维密度等差异不显著(P>0.05),母羊的背最长肌、臂三头肌和股二头肌也表现出同样的规律;背最长肌和股二头肌的肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积及肌纤维密度均为公羊高于母羊(P>0.05),臂三头肌的肌纤维面积以母羊略高于公羊,肌纤维直径和肌纤维密度均以公羊高于母羊(P>0.05)。     

藏山羊及丹巴黄羊肌纤维特性研究

以12和24月龄的藏山羊和丹巴黄羊为研究对象,采用石蜡切片的方法,测定了其背最长肌的肌纤维直径、肌纤维面积和肌纤维密度。结果表明:同月龄藏山羊和丹巴黄羊公羊的背最长肌肌纤维直径和肌纤维面积高于母羊,肌纤维密度低于母羊;24月龄时同性别藏山羊和丹巴黄羊的肌纤维直径和肌纤维面积高于12月龄,肌纤维密度低于12月龄;12和24月龄同性别藏山羊的肌纤维直径和肌纤维面积高于或接近于丹巴黄羊,肌纤维密度低于或接近于丹巴黄羊。     

大鼠与家兔生后发育期趾浅屈肌纤维间的比较

肌纤维的分类建立在它们所含有的不同肌球蛋白重链(MHC)异构体基础上,对大鼠和家兔生后发育各年龄阶段趾浅屈肌采用标准的肌动球蛋白ATP酶和琥珀酸脱氢酶组织化学染色。在生后2周龄至24周龄的大鼠和家兔,I型和ⅡⅩ型肌纤维百分比例趋于减少,而ⅡA型和ⅡB型纤维百分比例则增加。进行大量单肌纤维的组织化学特征的比较和肌纤维间相关性探讨,结果表明,动物平均体重与趾浅屈肌的平均湿重随着生后发育逐渐增加。Ⅰ,ⅡⅩ,ⅡA型和ⅡB型纤维均在生后各年龄组的全部肌肉内被发现,但生后2日龄组是个例外。在生后发育期间,雄性大鼠和家兔ⅡB型纤维的平均肌纤维型构成要大于雌性大鼠和家兔,而雄性大鼠和家兔Ⅰ,ⅡⅩ型和ⅡA型3种氧化组织化学分类的肌纤维型构成均小于雌性大鼠和家兔。大鼠Ⅰ,ⅡⅩ,ⅡA型和ⅡB型纤维的平均横切面积明显小于家兔的同类型肌纤维,在大鼠和家兔可见明显的性别差异。在大鼠和家兔的ⅡⅩ型纤维横切面积是最小的,Ⅰ型和ⅡA型纤维呈中等大小横切面积,ⅡB型纤维横切面积最大。此研究有助于我们尝试研究啮齿类动物快肌纤维生理特征的适应性。     

Morphologic and morphometric studies of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles in clinically normal adult dogs

To establish normal histologic and histochemical data and to determine reference values for fiber type proportions (percentages, mean fiber diameters, atrophy and hypertrophy factors, and variability coefficients), a histochemical study was carried out on intrinsic muscles of the larynx (cricothyroid, cricoarytenoid lateralis, cricoarytenoid dorsalis, and thyroarytenoid muscles) of clinically normal dogs. Using myosin adenosine triphosphatase stain under acidic preincubation (pH 4.3) conditions, 3 histochemical fiber types--1, 2A, and 2C--were recognized. The percentage of type-2C fibers varied from 1 to 2% in thyroarytenoid muscles to approximately 10% in cricoarytenoid lateralis muscles. There was no significant difference in mean diameter between left- and right-side specimens of each muscle for type 1 vs type 2. The largest fibers (mean +/- SD) of both types were observed in the cricothyroid muscles (type 1, 38.19 +/- 7.76 microns; type 2, 43.25 +/- 8.66 microns), and the smallest fibers were found in the thyroarytenoid muscles (type 1, 29.38 +/- 5.12 microns; type 2, 33.84 +/- 6.20 microns). Respective mean diameters of fiber types from cricoarytenoid dorsalis (type 1, 32.05 +/- 5.69 microns; type 2, 38.95 +/- 7.75 microns) and cricoarytenoid lateralis (type 1, 33.75 +/- 5.98 microns; type 2, 37.09 +/- 7.01 microns) muscles were similar. The histographic distribution of fiber type diameters was unimodal in all muscles. In each muscle, the mean fiber diameter of type-2 fibers was greater than that of type-1 fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Age-related changes in percentage of fiber types and mean fiber diameters of the ovine quadriceps muscles.

Mean fiber diameters and percentages of each fiber type of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and vastus intermedius muscles from 15 sheep, ranging from 1 day to 5 years of age, were determined. Myosin adenosine triphosphatase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-tetrazolium reductase stained sections were used. The vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris contained 3 fiber types (I, IIA, and IIB). The vastus intermedius was composed almost entirely of type I fibers. From birth to 5 years of age, mean fiber diameters of type I fibers increased from 15.8 to 47.0 micron in the vastus lateralis, 15.6 to 50.7 micron in the vastus medialis, 17.5 to 46.5 micron in the rectus femoris, and 26.7 to 51.8 micron in the vastus intermedius. Means of fiber diameters of type II fibers increased from 16.1 to 44.6 micron in the vastus lateralis, 19.8 to 44.0 micron in the vastus medialis, and 17.0 to 44.5 micron in the rectus femoris. The percentage of type II fibers in the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris decreased from 85% to 90% at birth to approximately 72% at 5 years of age. The vastus intermedius consisted of only type I fibers in sheep 2 years and older.     

Fiber type composition of rostral and caudal portions of the digastric muscle in the dog

The distribution of muscle fiber types in rostral and caudal portions of the musculus digastricus (digastric muscle) was studied in 6 dogs. Staining procedures which stain specifically for type IIM fibers, a fiber type found in other muscles supplied by the trigeminal nerve, were used. Rostral and caudal portions of the muscle were compared because the rostral portion is innervated by the trigeminal nerve, and the caudal portion is innervated by the facial nerve. The musculus triceps brachii (triceps muscle), which contains fiber types I and IIA, and the musculus masseter (masseter muscle), which contains type IIM, were used as controls. Mean fiber diameters were calculated for each of the muscles. Both portions of the digastric muscle exhibited the same histochemical behavior, possessing types I and IIA myofibers. Neither portion contained type IIM fibers. Type I fibers in the masseter muscle were histochemically different from type I fibers in the other muscles studied. Type II fibers predominated in all 3 muscles, but there were significantly (P less than 0.001) more type I fibers in the triceps muscle than in either portion of the digastric muscle or in the masseter muscle. Type II fibers were significantly larger than type I fibers in the caudal digastric (P less than 0.01) and masseter (P less than 0.05) muscles. There was no difference in the size of type I or type II fibers between any of the muscles studied (P greater than 0.20).     

Histochemical differentiation of fiber types in neonatal canine skeletal muscle

Differentiation of fiber types in developing canine skeletal muscle was studied, using morphologic, morphometric, and histochemical techniques. Sample collections were made from 6 muscles from the pectoral and pelvic limbs of 16 healthy pups between 1 day and 12 weeks of age. In newborn pups, 90% to 95% of the fibers in the 6 muscles were classified as undifferentiated or type IIC; the remaining fibers were classified either normal or large-size type I. Large-size type I fibers usually accounted for 2% to 4% of the total population and were considered analogous with the B fiber of Wohlfart. These fibers were larger than all other fiber types and disappeared after pups reached 4 to 5 weeks of age. After 2 to 4 weeks, the number of undifferentiated fibers decreased with the appearance of, and the concomitant numerical increases of, normal size type I and type IIA fibers. The percentages of type I and IIA fibers approached proportions of the adult dog by 12 weeks, at which time a type IIA fiber predominance was present in biceps femoris, lateral head of the gastrocnemius, cranial tibial, and long head of the triceps. Type I fibers predominated in medial head of the triceps and superficial digital flexor after 4 to 5 weeks. The mean fiber diameters of type I and IIA fibers were similar to any given muscle throughout the postnatal development. All fiber types stained uniformly with the oxidative stain nicotinamide adeninedinucleotide-tetrazolium reductase during the first 12 weeks of life, whereas a distinction between type I and II fibers was evident after 3 to 4 weeks with the periodic acid-Schiff stain reaction.     

Changes of histochemical profiles of myofibers in pectoralis and supracoracoideus fasciculi induced by breeding for large or small body size in Japanese quails

The histochemical profiles of myofibers in Musculus pectoralis (PT) and M. supracoracoideus (SC) fasciculi were compared among Japanese quail strains with large, normal and small body sizes. In male and female adults, both the PT and SC muscles had attained a 2.5–2.7-fold weight gain in the large strain and conversely a 0.43–0.50-fold change in the small strain relative to those of the normal size. The muscles were composed of fasciculi with a central cluster of type IIA fibers surrounded by a peripheral layer of type IIB fibers. In the large strain, the cross sectional area (CSA) of the fasciculus and CSA of the fibers in each type were significantly enlarged compared with those in the normal size, with the exception of the fasciculus in the deep region of the male PT muscle. The hypertrophied type IIA fibers in the large strain showed considerable variation in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase activity, some of which might represent a transitional form into type IIB fibers. In the small strain, the fasciculus CSA did not significantly differ from that of the normal size except for the PT surface region of the male. However, fiber atrophy was observed in type IIB fibers of the PT surface region in both sexes, and type IIA fibers of the PT deep region and SC muscle in the small strain male quails. The relative fiber type composition of a fasciculus in each region showed only a slight change across the strains. These results indicate that breast muscle hypertrophy in the large strain could be based mainly on fasciculus and fiber hypertrophy, but muscle atrophy in the small strain is not induced by fasciculus and fiber atrophy.     

Correlation between histochemically assessed fiber type distribution and isomyosin and myosin heavy chain content in porcine skeletal muscles.

Highly sensitive enzyme assays developed to differentiate skeletal muscle fibers allow the recognition of three main fiber types: slow-twitch oxidative (SO), fast-twitch oxidative glycolytic (FOG), and fast-twitch glycolytic (FG). Myosin, the predominant contractile protein in mammalian skeletal muscle, can be separated based on the electrophoretic mobility under nondissociating conditions into SM2, SM1, IM, FM3, and FM2 isoforms, or under dissociating conditions into myosin heavy chain (MHC) I, IIb, IIx/d, and IIa. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the histochemical method of differentiation of fiber types is consistent with the electrophoretically identified isomyosin and MHC isoforms. These comparisons were made using serratus ventralis (SV), gluteus medius (GM), and longissimus muscles (LM) from 13 pigs. Two calculation methods for the histochemical assessed fiber type distribution were adopted. The first method incorporated the number of fibers counted for each fiber type and calculated a percentage of the total fiber number (fiber number percentage: FNP). The second method expressed the cross-sectional area of each fiber type as a percentage of the total fiber area measured per muscle (fiber area percentage: FAP). Independent of the calculation methods, correlation analyses revealed in all muscles a strong relation between SO fibers, the slow isomyosin (SM1 and SM2), and MHCI, as well as between the FG fibers, the fast isomyosin (FM3 and FM2), and MHCIIx/b content (P<.05). There were no correlations between FOG fiber population assessed by histochemical analysis and intermediate isoform (IM) or MHCIIa content. The present results did not provide conclusive evidence as to which of the calculation methods (FNP or FAP) was more closely related to myosin composition of skeletal muscles. Despite some incompatibility between the methods, the present study shows that histochemical as well as electrophoretic analyses yielded important information about the composition of porcine skeletal muscle. The combination of the two methods may be essential to accurately characterize porcine skeletal muscles.     

Histochemical staining characteristics of normal horse skeletal muscle

The histologic and histochemical staining characteristics of the triceps brachii (long head), extensor carpi radialis, gluteus medius, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles of 8 Thoroughbreds, 2 Quarter Horses, 1 Arabian, 1 Paso Fino, and 1 Shetland Pony are described. Muscle fiber morphology, staining distribution and intensity, amount of IM connective tissue, number of IM blood vessels and IM nerves, calcium-activated adenosine triphosphatase activity (CaATPase), percentage of fibertype population, percentage of relative fibertype area, mean fiber diameter, nonspecific esterase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and acid phosphatase activity were evaluated, using 10 common histochemical and histologic stains. Two fiber types (I, II) and 3 subtypes (IIA, IIB, IIC) were observed, using CaATPase-, nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide-tetrazolium reductase-, periodic acid-Schiff hematoxylin-, and nonspecific esterase-stained frozen serial muscle sections. Type I muscle fibers in general had low CaATPase activity, high oxidative capacity, low glycogen capacity, and low esterase activity. Type IIA muscle fibers had high CaATPase activity, intermediate oxidative capacity, high glycogen concentration, and high esterase activity. Type IIB fibers had high CaATPase activity, low oxidative capacity, high glycogen concentration, and a high esterase activity. Type IIC muscle fibers had high CaATPase activity, high oxidative capacity, variable glycogen concentration, and high esterase activity. Type II (IIA and IIB) muscle fibers predominated in the muscles. The percentage of muscle fiber population, mean minimal muscle fiber diameter, and percentage of relative muscle fiber area were determined for each sampled muscle. Type IIA and IIB muscle fibers predominated in the percentage of muscle fiber population and percentage of relative muscle fiber area. Type IIB muscle fibers had the greatest minimal fiber diameter, type IIA muscle fibers had intermediate minimal fiber diameter, and type I muscle fibers had the smallest minimal fiber diameter. The percentage of relative muscle fiber area was less variable (P less than or equal to 0.05) than the percentage of muscle fiber population. Mean muscle fiber diameter did not significantly differ between breeds. Alkaline and acid phosphatase activities were at low levels in all muscles biopsied and were limited to the IM connective tissue fibrocytes, macrophages, and capillaries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Evaluation of developmental changes in the coexpression of myosin heavy chains and metabolic properties of equine skeletal muscle fibers

OBJECTIVE: To determine the growth-related changes in metabolic and anatomic properties in equine muscle fiber type, including hybrid fibers identified with immunohistochemical analysis. ANIMALS: 24 2-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month-old female Thoroughbreds. PROCEDURE: Samples were obtained from the gluteus medius muscle of all horses. Expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms MHC-I, -IIa, -IIb, and -IIx in each muscle fiber was detected by use of 4 primary monoclonal antibodies: BA-D5, SC-71, BF-F3, and BF-35, respectively. Five muscle fiber types (types I, I/IIA, IIA, IIA/IIX, and IIX) were immunohistochemically identified. The area and activity of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) in each fiber type were determined by use of quantitative histochemical staining and image analysis. RESULTS: Although the proportion of type I and IIX fibers did not change with age, the proportion of type IIA and IIA/IIX fibers significantly increased and decreased, respectively, from 2 months to 24 months of age. The increase in proportion of type IIA fibers with growth may have been attributable to muscle fiber-type transition from type IIA/IIX fibers but not from type IIX fibers. Values for SDH activity and fiber area in hybrid fiber types were intermediate to those for their respective pure phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Hybrid fibers have an important role for determining the proportion of muscle fiber type in horses < 24 months old, and the metabolic and anatomic properties of the hybrid fibers are well coordinated, as in mature horses.