Fibre Types in Muscles of Forelimb of the Buffalo

7/30/2019 Fibre Types in Muscles of Forelimb of the Buffalo

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Histometric study on different fibre types in muscles of forelimb of the buffalo

S C Dubal 1, K N Vyas 2 and Y L Vyas 3

Department of Anatomy,

College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry,

G.A.U., Campus Anand, Anand 388 001 (Gujrat ) India

Key words: Fibre types, diameter, muscles, forelimb, buffalo

ABSTRACT

The distribution of fibre types and their diameters, and fibre density were

determined from succinic dehydrogenase activity in the muscles of forelimbs of

apparently healthy six male Surti buffalo (4 6 month old with average 64.54 +

7.74 kg body weight and 5 10 years old adult with 518.4 + 10.93 kg body weight).

The per cent population of red, intermediate and white fibres did not differ

significantly (P> 0.05) between the age groups. The fibre diameter was

significantly (P < 0.05) more in the adults than in the calves. Further, the fibre

density was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the adults than in the calves. Within

the muscle the white fibres were significantly (P < 0.05) wider than the

intermediate and red fibres. The muscles of proximal part of the limb had

significantly more red fibres and fibre density than the distal one. It wasconcluded that the muscle profile of the forelimbs was more closely dependent

upon the workload than the age of the animal and the buffalo was more suitable

for heavy load bearing with slow speed.

INTRODUCTION

Muscles act as motor for power generation and are therefore composed

of fibres with different contractile and metabolic properties depending upon the

functional status in the animal body (Close, 1972). It is known that histochemically

succnic dehydrogenase localization distinguishes three types of muscle fibres - red,

intermediate and white. The red fibres are high-oxidative with slow-twitch and can

sustain the activity for a long period, while the white fibres are low-oxidative with fast

activity and can sustain the activity for a short period. Further the force generated

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1 Assistant professor, 2 Retd. Principal and 3 Professor

is directly proportional to cross-sectional area of the fibre (Ikai and Fukunaga, 1968 ).

Study on distribution of fibre typesand their diameters, therefore, will help in

understanding the work ability of the animals Since the fore limbs support the body

weight and initiate forward and upward movements (Rooney, 1969), it will be desirable

to study the fibre type profile in the muscles of limbs of draught animals. There are few

reports on the digital muscles of the buffalo and bullock ( Vyas and Vyas, 1986). The

present work was therefore carried out in the muscles of forelimbs of the buffalo so that

the study may help in constructing the structural bases of draught power.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Muscle samples of forelimbs were obtained from apparently healthy six male

Surti buffalo (4 6 months old calves with average 64.4 674 kg body weight and 5

10 years old adults with average 518.4 10.93 kg body weight ). The samples were

immediately put in an ice - box. Within half an hour transverse sections of 10 m in

thickness were obtained by cryostat microtome. Fibre types were distinguished after

treating them for localization of succinic dehydrogenase (Nachlas et al., 1957). The red

fibres stained intensively, intermediate fibres were moderately stained and the white

fibres were relatively unstained. From the sections the percent population and the

diameter of different fibre types, and fibre density were obtained. Data was analyzed

statistically (Snedecor and Cochran, 1980 ).

RESULTS

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The findings of present work have been summarized in Tables 1 and 2. The

mean values of per cent population of fibre types did not differ significantly (P> 0.05)

between the age group. However, there was significant regional variation in the fibre

distribution. The muscles of proximal part of limbs had significantly (P < 0.05) higher

percentage of red fibres than those of the distal one. Further, among the muscles of

proximal parts, the muscles of pectoral girdle showed significantly (P < 0.05) high

percentage of the red fibres. In general, the physiological extensor and antigravity

(resisting the gravity in the quadruple standing position) muscles contained more red

fibres than their antagonists.

The fibre diameter was significantly (P < 0.05) more in the muscles of adult

animals than the calves. The increment, irrespective of fibre types, was 24 3 % in the

muscles of proximal part of the limbs which was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than

that of the distal part (38 3 %). Further, the increase was more in the white fibres than

others. In general, there was non significant variation in the diameters of fibre types

of different muscle groups of the calves, however, the diameter of white fibres was

significantly (P < 0.05) more in the muscles of distal parts of the limbs of adult buffalo.

The fibre density was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the adult animals than

the calves. The fibre density of proximal part of the limb was also significantly (P

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Fibre Types in Muscles of Forelimb of the Buffalo