Simultaneous determination of skeletal muscle fiber, types I, IIA, and IIB by histochemistry

We describe a simplified technique for the histochemical determination of three fiber types from a single section of skeletal muscle. Preincubation in a solution of formaldehyde, glycine, and calcium followed by routine myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) incubation clearly differentiates type I, type IIA, and IIB fibers in human, rat, rabbit, and porcine muscle. In addition, glycine-formaldehyde-calcium preincubation offers better preservation of cytoarchitecture and standardization of incubation time.