Skip to main content

Ultrastructure of muscle fibres in head and axial muscles of the perch (Perca fluviatilis L.)

A quantitative study

Cell and Tissue Research volume 219, pages 111–131 (1981)Cite this article

Summary

White, pink, red and deep red fibres, selected from a head muscle and from axial muscles of the perch, show significant differences in actin filament length, Z line thickness, Z line lattice space, myofibril girth, the percentages volume occupied by T system and terminal cisternae of the SR, and in the degree of T system SR contact per sarcomere. In both muscles the degree of T system SR contact decreases in the order: white, pink, red, deep red, which suggests a decrease of contraction velocity in the same order.

The position of the T system (at the Z line or at the AI junction) is related to the actin filament length. The actin filaments in the red fibres are appreciably longer than in the white, which suggests that the sarcomeres of the red fibres have a broader length-tension curve. The Z line thickness is positively correlated with the actin filament length and, in the white and the red fibres, negatively with the degree of sarcomere shortening. Thicker Z lines are suggested to allow greater sarcomere sizes (length or girth).

The percentage volume occupied by mitochondria varies independently of the extent of membrane systems.

The ultrastructural characteristics of the fibre types are in agreement with the functional roles as reported in literature.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Akster HA, Osse JWM (1978) Muscle fibre types in head muscles of the perch, Perca fluviatilis L. Teleostei. A histochemical and electromyographical study. Neth J Zool 28:94–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Barany M (1967). ATPase activity of myosin correlated with speed of muscle shortening. J Gen Physiol 50:197–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Barends PMG (1979) The relation between fibre type composition and function in the jaw adductor muscle of the perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). A histochemical study. Proc Kon Ned Akad Wet Ser C 82:147–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Boddeke R, Slijper EJ, Van der Stelt A (1959) Histological characteristics of the body musculature of fishes in connection with their mode of life. Proc Kon Ned Akad Wet Ser C 62:576–588

    Google Scholar 

  • Bone Q (1966) On the function of the two types of myotomal muscle fibre in Elasmobranch fish. J Mar Biol Ass UK 46:321–349

    Google Scholar 

  • Bone Q (1978a) Myotomal muscle fibre types in Scomber and Katsuwonus. In: Sharp G, Dizon A (eds) The physiological ecology of tuna's. Academic Press, New York, pp 183–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Bone Q (1978b) Locomotor muscle. In: Hoar WS, Randall DJ (eds) Fish Physiology. Academic Press, New York, Vol VII, pp 361–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Bone Q, Kiceniuk J, Jones DR (1978) On the role of different fibre types in fish myotomes at intermediate swimming speeds. J Fish Bull 76:691–699

    Google Scholar 

  • Brill RW, Dizon AE (1979) Red and white muscle fibre activity in swimming skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis L. Fish Biol 15:679–685

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke RE (1978) Motor units: Physiological/histochemical profiles, neural connectivity and functional specializations. Amer Zool 18:127–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke RE, Levine DN, Tsairis P, Zajack FE (1973) Physiological types and histochemical profiles in motor units of the cat gastrocnemius. J Physiol 234:723–748

    Google Scholar 

  • Close RI (1965) The relation between the intrinsic speed of shortening and duration of the active state ofmuscle. J Physiol 180:542–559

    Google Scholar 

  • Close RI (1972) Dynamic properties of mammalian skeletal muscle. Physiol Rev 52:129–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Dragomir CT, Ionescu V (1975) The biophysics of contraction induced in protein extracted muscle. I Quantitative data suggestive of the function of the Z bands. Studia Biophys 48:63–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebashi S, Endo M (1968) Calcium ion and muscle contraction. Prog Biophys Mol Biol 18:123–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebashi S, Nonomura Y (1973) Proteins of the myofibril. In: Bourne GH (ed) The structure and function of muscle. Academic Press, New York, Vol III, p 286–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg BR, Kuda AM (1976) Discrimination between fiber populations in mammalian skeletal muscles by using ultrastructural parameters. J Ultrastruct Res 54:76–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg BR, Kuda AM, Peter JB (1974) Stereological analyisis of mammalian skeletal muscle. J Cell Biol 60:732–754

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott GF, Lowy J, Millman B (1967) Low angle X-ray diffraction studies of living striated muscle during contraction. J Mol Biol 25:31–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott GF, Rome EM, Spencer E (1970) A type of contraction hypothesis applicable to all muscles. Nature 226:417–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Flitney FW, Johnston IA (1979) Mechanical properties of isolated fish red and white muscle fibres. J Physiol 295:49P-50P

    Google Scholar 

  • Franzini-Armstrong C (1973) Membranous systems in muscle fibres. In: Bourne GH (red) The structure and function of muscle. Academic Press, New York, Vol II-2, p 532–640

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldspink G (1971) Changes in striated muscle fibres during contraction and growth with particular references to myofibril splitting. J Cell Sci 9:123–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon AM, Huxley AF, Julian FJ (1966) The variation in isometric tension with sarcomere length in vertebrate muscle fibres. J Physiol 184:170–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Hess A (1970) Vertebrate slow muscle fibres. Physiol Rev 50:40–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson RCL (1973) On the function of the white muscles in teleosts at intermediate swimming speeds. J Exp Biol 58:509–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes GM, Saunders RL (1970) Responses of the respiratory pumps to hypoxia in the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). J Exp Biol 53:529–545

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston IA, Patterson S, Ward P, Goldspink G (1974) The histochemical demonstration of myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase activity in fish muscle. Can J Zool 52:871–877

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston IA, Ward PS, Goldspink G (1975) Studies on the swimming musculature of the rainbow trout I. Fibre types. J Fish Biol 7:451–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston IA, Davison W, Goldspink G (1977) Energy metabolism of carp swimming muscles. J Comp Physiol 114:203–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Karnovsky MJ (1965) A formaldehyde-glutaraldehyde fixative of high osmolality for use in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 27:137a-138a

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilarski W (1973) Cytomorphometry of sarcoplasmic reticulum in the extrinsic eye muscles of the teleost (Tinca tinca L.). Z Zellforsch 136:535–544

    Google Scholar 

  • Korneliussen H (1972) Identification of muscle fibre types in “semithin” sections stained with p. phenylene-diamine. Histochemie 32:95–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Korneliussen H, Nicolaysen K (1975) Distribution and dimension of the T system in different muscle fibre types in the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa L.). Cell Tissue Res 157:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Korneliussen H, Dahl HA, Paulsen JE (1978) Histochemical definition of muscle fibre types in the trunk musculature of a teleost fish (Cod, Gadus morhua L.). Histochemistry 55:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Kryvi H (1977) Ultrastructure of the different fibre types in axial muscles of the sharks Etmopterus spinax and Galeus melastomus. Cell Tissue Res 184:287–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton DJ (1973) Z line streaming in mammalian muscle fibres. In: Kakulas B (ed) Basic research in myology part 1. Proc. 2nd international congress on muscle diseases. American Elsevier, New York, pp 483–491

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosse PRL (1978) The distribution of capillaries in the somatic musculature of two vertebrate types with particular reference to teleost fish. Cell Tissue Res 187:281–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosse PRL (1979) Capillary distribution and metabolic histochemistry of the lateral propulsive musculature of pelagic teleost fish. Cell Tissue Res 203:141–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosse PRL, Hudson RCL (1977) The functional roles of different muscle fibre types indentified in the myotomes of marine teleosts; a behavioural, anatomical and histochemical study. J Fish Biol 11:417–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller W (1976) Subsarcolemmal mitochondria and capillarization of soleus muscle fibres in young rats subjected to an endurance training. A morphometric study of semithin sections. Cell Tissue Res 174:367–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Nag AC (1972) Ultrastructure and adenosine triphosphatase activity of red and white muscle fibres of the caudal region of a fish Salmo gairdneri. J Cell Biol 55:42–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Page SG (1968a) The structure of tortoise skeletal muscle. J Physiol 197:709–715

    Google Scholar 

  • Page SG (1968b) Structure of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in vertebrate muscle. Br Med Bull 24:170–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Page SG, Huxley HE (1963) Filament lengths in striated muscle. J Cell Biol 19:369–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson S, Goldspink G (1972) The fine structure of red and white myotomal muscle fibres of the coalfish Gadus virens. Z Zellforsch 133:463–474

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson S, Goldspink G (1976) Mechanisms of myofibril growth and proliferation in fish muscle. J Cell Sci 22:607–616

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson S, Johnston IA, Goldspink G (1975) A histochemical study of the lateral muscles of five teleost species. J Fish Biol 7:159–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry SV, Cole HA, Dhoot GK The regulatory proteins of the I filament and the control of contractile activity in different types of striated muscle. In: Pepe FA, Sanger JW, Nachemias NT (eds) Motility in cell function. Proceedings of the first John M. Marshall Symposium in Cell Biology. Academic Press, New York, pp129–146

  • Raamsdonk W van, TeKronnie G, Pool CW, van de Laarsse W (1980) Muscle fibre types in the myotomal muscle of the teleost Brachydanio rerio. Acta Histochemica 67:200–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Salmons S, Gale DR, Sréter FA (1978) Ultrastructural aspects of the transformation of muscle fibre type by long term stimulation: change in Z discs and mitochondria. J Anat 127:17–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiaffino S, Hanzliková V, Pierobon S (1970) Relations between structure and function in rat skeletal muscle fibres. J Cell Biol 47:107–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Sitte H (1967) Morphometrische Untersuchungen an Zellen. In: Weibel ER, Elias H (eds) Quantitative Methods in Morphology. Springer Verlag, New York, pp 167–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Slinde E, Kryvi H (1980) Studies on the nature of the Z-discs in skeletal muscle fibres of sharks, Etmopterus spinax L. and Galeus melastomus Rafinesque-Schmaltz. J Fish Biol 16:299–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1969) Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. WH Freeman and Comp, San Francisco, pp 495–549

    Google Scholar 

  • Sreter FA (1969) Temperature, pH and seasonal dependence of Ca-uptake and ATPase activity of white and red muscle microsomes. Arch Biochem Biophys 134:25–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomanek RJ, Asmundson CR, Cooper RR, Barnard JR (1973) Fine structure of fast-twitch and slowtwitch guinea pig muscle fibres. J Morphol 139:47–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Winkle WB, Schwartz A (1978) Morphological and biochemical correlates of skeletal muscle contractility in the cat. I Histochemical and electron microscopic studies. J Cell Physiol 97:99–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Winkle WB, Entman ML, Bornet EP, Schwartz A (1978) Morphological and biochemical correlates of skeletal muscle contractility in the cat II Physiological and biochemical studies. J Cell Physiol 97:121–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker SM, Schrodt GR (1974) I segment lengths and thin filament periods in skeletal muscle fibres of the rhesus monkey and the human. Anat Rec 178:63–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Weibel ER (1972) A stereological method for estimating volume and surface of sarcoplasmic reticulum. J Microsc 95:229–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Weibel ER (1973) Stereological techniques for electron microscopic morphometry. In: Hayat MA (ed) Principles and techniques of electron microscopy. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, pp 237–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Winegrad S (1970) The intracellular site of calcium activation of contraction in frog skeletal muscle. J Gen Physiol 55:77–88

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Experimental Animal Morphology and Cell Biology, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Hendrica A. Akster

Authors
  1. Hendrica A. Akster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Akster, H.A. Ultrastructure of muscle fibres in head and axial muscles of the perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). Cell Tissue Res. 219, 111–131 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210022

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210022

Key words

  • Fish
  • muscle fibre types
  • Ultrastructure
  • Morphometry
  • Function