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A note on the use of sarcomere length measurements as predictors of longitudinal growth in skeletal muscles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. V. J. Hegarty
P. V. J. Hegarty
Affiliation:
Meat Research Department, The Agricultural Institute, Castleknock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Summary

Sarcomere length and fibre diameter were measured in the biceps brachii and sternomastoideus muscles from 35 male mice (5·3-38·0 g body weight). The fore-limbs of each animal were either folded or stretched maximally immediately post mortem and allowed to go into rigor mortis in that position. Unfixed isolated fibres were separated and the sarcomere length and fibre diameter measured. Sarcomere length remained unchanged with increasing body weight irrespective of whether the muscles were in the folded or stretched position. Sarcomere length was shorter in the folded biceps brachii (P < 0·01) and sternomastoideus (P < 0·05) than in the corresponding stretched muscles at all body weights. The results indicate that sarcomere length cannot be used as an indicator of the longitudinal growth of muscle, and that limb position during rigor development is a significant factor in altering sarcomere length.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , February 1974 , pp. 97 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1974

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References

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