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Updated: May 27, 2026

Fiber Type and Subcellular-Specific Analysis of Lipid Droplet Content in Skeletal Muscle
Published on: June 8, 2022
Specificity of different anti-myosin heavy chain antibodies in bovine muscle
1Unité de Recherche sur les Herbivores, Equipe Croissance et Métabolisme du Muscle, INRA Clermont-Ferrand/Theix, 63122 Saint-Genès Champanelle, France.
Abstract:
Muscle fibre types play an important role in bovine meat tenderness, and conditions the speed of ageing. Two generations of myotubes appear during foetal life. Their differentiation results in several types of fibres differing in their contractile and metabolic properties, namely type I fibres and type II fibres (IIA and IIB). Fibre types were identified using antibodies by immunohistochemistry and western-blotting techniques. The aim was to test different antibodies on foetal and adult muscles by these two techniques. Ten monoclonal antibodies reported to be specific to different myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms in other species were tested. Only three antibodies were selected: BF.35, specific for I and IIa MHCs, F1.652 specific for foetal MHC and SC.71 an anti II MHCs (IIa and IIb) antibody. The use of these antibodies will enable a more precise characterisation of muscle fibres and will have applications in the study of bovine muscle ontogenesis.
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Antibody Structure
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
Antibody Structure and Classes
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.

