Fibre distribution and fibre diameters in two muscles of Swedish moose (Alces alces L.).
1. Muscle samples from M. semitendinosus (S) and M. longissimus (L) were taken by autopsy, shortly after killing from 36 moose ranging approximately from 5 months to 6 yr of age. 2. The moose muscle contains three populations of fibres namely beta R, alpha R and alpha W. The muscles have a high proportion of beta R and alpha R fibres which indicates a dependence on oxidative metabolism for muscle function. 3. The moose have developed their ultimate fibre distribution at about the age of 5 months, but even after that an increase in fibre diameter for beta and alpha fibres in the (S) muscle was noted with increasing ae. This increase ceases in animals older than 1.5 yr.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003670:Deer / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors