Morphometric evaluation of muscle fiber types in different skeletal muscles of rats

The purpose of the present work was to study some morphological differences of similar muscle fiber types--classified by ATPase reactions in different muscles of rats. Morphological parameters were used as stereological techniques at light and electron microscopic level. There was a great variation in the diameter of each muscle fiber type of different muscles. The smallest diameter of type 1 myofibers of the soleus was greater than the diameter of type 1 myofibers of other muscles. The diameter of type 1 myofibers of the soleus and of the lateral part of the gastrocnemius was almost twice the diameter of type 1 myofibers of sternocleidomastoid. The lateral and medial parts of gastrocnemius had the largest 2A and 2B muscle fibers. As a whole, among the studied muscles, myofibers of postural muscles of the posterior parts of the posterior limbs had the greatest diameter. Stereological analysis at electron microscopic level revealed that there were differences in the volume density of mitochondria in the different muscles. The quantity of mitochondria was greater in the diaphragm than in the gastrocnemius, soleus and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Our results suggested that the diameter of muscle fibers is more related to the resistance the muscle is submitted than to the continuous necessity of contraction. However, the quantity of mitochondria of oxidative fibers of the diaphragm would be related to continuous necessity of contraction and high oxidative necessity of this muscle.