A histochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural study of gastrocnemius and soleus muscle fiber type composition in male and female rats. 1997

I Ustunel, and R Demir
Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Arapsuyu, Antalya, Turkey. ustunel@hipokrat.med.akdeniz.edu.tr

The fiber type composition of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of adult male and female rats was examined by histochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural methods. Six male and 6 female, 3.5-month-old rats were used in the study. The fiber types were determined using the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDHase) staining techniques. The number of fibers of different types and the diameters of these two muscles were examined by morphometric methods. Gastrocnemius muscles were also examined by transmission electron microscopy. Z-line thickness, actin length, sarcomere length and M-line thickness of the fiber types were compared at the ultrastructural level. No significant differences were observed between the diameters of the gastrocnemius muscle (p > 0.05) of male and female rats although the male animals were significantly larger than the females (p > 0.05). In males, type I fibers of the gastrocnemius were larger than in females (p < 0.05). Region II of the gastrocnemius muscles of females contained more type IIA and type IIB fibers than in males. Sarcomere lengths were also longer in females (p < 0.05). The composition of fiber types of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles may be sex dependent.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008853 Microscopy The use of instrumentation and techniques for visualizing material and details that cannot be seen by the unaided eye. It is usually done by enlarging images, transmitted by light or electron beams, with optical or magnetic lenses that magnify the entire image field. With scanning microscopy, images are generated by collecting output from the specimen in a point-by-point fashion, on a magnified scale, as it is scanned by a narrow beam of light or electrons, a laser, a conductive probe, or a topographical probe. Compound Microscopy,Hand-Held Microscopy,Light Microscopy,Optical Microscopy,Simple Microscopy,Hand Held Microscopy,Microscopy, Compound,Microscopy, Hand-Held,Microscopy, Light,Microscopy, Optical,Microscopy, Simple
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D005260 Female Females
D006651 Histocytochemistry Study of intracellular distribution of chemicals, reaction sites, enzymes, etc., by means of staining reactions, radioactive isotope uptake, selective metal distribution in electron microscopy, or other methods. Cytochemistry
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012737 Sex Factors Maleness or femaleness as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from SEX CHARACTERISTICS, anatomical or physiological manifestations of sex, and from SEX DISTRIBUTION, the number of males and females in given circumstances. Factor, Sex,Factors, Sex,Sex Factor
D048429 Cell Size The quantity of volume or surface area of CELLS. Cell Volume,Cell Sizes,Cell Volumes,Size, Cell,Sizes, Cell,Volume, Cell,Volumes, Cell
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D018482 Muscle, Skeletal A subtype of striated muscle, attached by TENDONS to the SKELETON. Skeletal muscles are innervated and their movement can be consciously controlled. They are also called voluntary muscles. Anterior Tibial Muscle,Gastrocnemius Muscle,Muscle, Voluntary,Plantaris Muscle,Skeletal Muscle,Soleus Muscle,Muscle, Anterior Tibial,Muscle, Gastrocnemius,Muscle, Plantaris,Muscle, Soleus,Muscles, Skeletal,Muscles, Voluntary,Skeletal Muscles,Tibial Muscle, Anterior,Voluntary Muscle,Voluntary Muscles

Related Publications

I Ustunel, and R Demir
April 1991, The American journal of anatomy,
I Ustunel, and R Demir
November 1990, The American journal of anatomy,
I Ustunel, and R Demir
January 1983, Cell and tissue research,
I Ustunel, and R Demir
January 1987, Histology and histopathology,
I Ustunel, and R Demir
October 2015, Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological genetics and physiology,
I Ustunel, and R Demir
April 2004, Experimental and molecular pathology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!