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Published on: August 13, 2017
Changes of acid phosphatase activity of fast and slow rat muscles during ontogenetic development
Insights
Acid phosphatase (AP) activity in rat muscles shows a distinct developmental pattern. Enzyme activity is high at birth, decreases with age, and rises again in senescent muscles, varying between fast and slow muscle types.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Muscle Physiology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Acid phosphatase (AP) is an enzyme with various physiological roles.
- Understanding its activity in different muscle types during development is crucial for muscle biology.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the developmental trajectory of AP in distinct muscle fiber types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biochemical and histochemical activity of acid phosphatase (AP) in rat fast and slow muscles.
- To characterize the developmental changes in AP activity from birth through senescence.
- To correlate AP activity with other enzyme markers in muscle fibers.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical assays were performed to quantify AP activity.
- Histochemical techniques were used to localize AP activity within muscle fibers.
- Comparative analysis was conducted on fast (extensor digitorum longus - EDL) and slow (soleus) muscles.
- Enzyme activities of oxidative enzymes, non-specific esterase (NSE), and ATP-ase were assessed.
Main Results:
- AP activity was high and similar in both fast and slow muscles at birth.
- Postnatally, AP activity became higher in slow soleus muscle compared to fast EDL muscle from day 20 onwards.
- Muscle fibers with high AP activity also exhibited higher oxidative enzyme and non-specific esterase (NSE) activities.
- AP activity displayed a 'two-phase' developmental pattern: high at birth, decreasing postnatally, and increasing again in senescence.
- AP activity was independent of ATP-ase activity levels.
Conclusions:
- Rat muscle acid phosphatase (AP) activity exhibits a biphasic developmental profile, influenced by muscle fiber type.
- The association of high AP activity with oxidative and NSE activity suggests a role in specific muscle fiber characteristics.
- AP activity changes dynamically throughout the lifespan, from development to senescence, highlighting its complex role in muscle maintenance and function.
Abstract:
1. The activity of acid phosphatase (AP) were studied both bio- and histochemically in fast and slow muscles of the rat during postnatal development. 2. Both biochemical and histochemical methods show at birth a similar, high AP activity in both, fast and slow muscles. From 20 days onward AP activity is higher in the slow soleus than in the fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. 3. Fibres with high AP activity have also higher activities of oxidative enzymes and of non-specific esterase (NSE). This property is not coupled to degree of ATP-ase activity; fibres with high or low ATP-ase activity reveal similar activities with respect to AP. 4. There is a "two-phase" developmental change in the degree of enzyme activity in both the fast EDL and slow soleus muscles. AP activity is high at birth, decreases during later postnatal development and increases again in senescent muscles.
