HISTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND FIBER TYPE COMPOSITION OF THE PECTORAL AND THIGH MUSCLES OF THE JAPANESE QUAIL

Abstract

The m. [musculus] pectoralis thoracicus, m. iliotibialis lateralis and m. pubischiofemorales of the Japanese quail were histochemically investigated. The type A fibers with a high activity of NADH: Nito BT oxidoreductase (NADHOX) and alkali-stable myosin ATPase showed a relatively high activity of glycerol-3-phosphate:menadione oxidoreductase (GPOX) and a low to high activity of 3-hydroxybutyrate:NAD+ oxidoreductase (HBOX). The type B fibers with low NADH activity and high alkali-stable ATPase activity were moderate in GPOX activity and very low or absent in HBOX activity. The type C fibers with NADHOX activity and low alkali-stable ATPase activity showed a low GPOX activity and a high HBOX activity. The pectoralis thoracicus contained numerous A fibers and few B fibers; the iliotibialis lateralis had few A fibers and many B fibers. The m. pubischiofemorales pars externus contained numerous A fibers and few B and C fibers; the pars internus possessed few A fibers and many C fibers. The m. pubischiofemorales pars internus with many C fibers apparently differs in function from the pars externus with few C fibers.