title: Histological contribution of collagen architecture to beef toughness.
abstract: The relationship between shear-force value and collagen architecture of connective tissue of the longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of Japanese Black (n = 10) and Brown (Kumamoto) (n = 5) steers (body weight: 688.4 +/- 8.6 kg as average and standard error) was investigated. There were negative correlations between the shear-force value and lipid content (n = 15, R(2)= 0.3709, P < 0.01) and protein content and lipid content (n = 15, R(2)= 0.6748, P < 0.01). Shear-force value and collagen content (n = 15, R(2)= 0.4344, P < 0.01) were positively correlated. In scanning electron microscopic photographs of the macerated preparation, the perimysium of the high-lipid LT muscle was broken down compared with the low-lipid LT muscle. The endomysium in all LT muscle fibers showed similar architecture. The fine surface cover of reticular collagen fibers around an adipocyte was observed in the high-lipid LT muscle perimysium. These results suggested that the shear-force value of the LT muscle was related to change in collagen architecture and of the perimysium in particular.
authors.affiliation: Natl. Agricultural Research Center for Kyushu Okinawa Region (KONARC), NARO, Kumamoto, Nippon, Japan. yn1124@affrc.go.jp
authors.forename: Y-N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsuneishi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009919:Orchiectomy; D033081:Shear Strength; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D003094:Collagen