Morphological studies of fiber types of striated muscle fibers of the cremaster in the guinea pig.
THe fine structure of the striated muscle fibers of the cremaster of the guinea pig was studied using the cholinesterase technique and light and electron microscopy. Under light microscopy, isolated single muscle fibers showed two types of nerve endings: the first one presented elliptic or oval areas having digit-like structures inside, some of the borders of which were heavily stained. These fibers had only one end-plate. The second type presented elongated clear areas with most of the density located on the borders. Several nerve endings were apparent in these fibers. By electron microscopy, the former had large and numerous sarcolemmal foldings and these characteristics were also observed in unstained fibers. In the latter, the foldings were scanty or absent. At the ultrastructural level, the fibers having only one end-plate presented a regular array of fibrils with an abundant sarcoplasmic reticulum ('Fibrillenstruktur' type) in contrast to the multi-innervated fiber with an irregular distribution pattern of fibrils and a scarce sarcoplasmic reticulum ('Felderstruktur' type). The striated muscle fiber layer of the cremaster probably contains both fast and slow fibers. The possible functional role for the slow striated muscle fibers is discussed.
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000294:innervation / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000032:analysis; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009210:Myofibrils / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D002802:Cholinesterases