Histochemical definition of muscle fibre types in the trunk musculature of a teleost fish (cod, Gadus morhua, L.).

Cryostat sections incubated for myofibrillar ATPase, SDH, LDH, and alpha-GPDH as well as p-phenylene-diamine stained semithin sections were used to define muscle fibre types in the trunk musculature of the cod (Gadus morhua, L.). Three zones (superficial, intermediate, deep) containing different muscle fibre types are present within both epaxial and hypaxial parts of each myomere subjacent to the lateral line. Atypical relations concerning myofibrillar ATPase activity probably reflects instability of myosin during storage of frozen tissue. The histochemical reaction does not distinguish between myofibrillar and mitochondrial ATPase in cod muscle. Based on ATPase and SDH activities, seven different histochemical profiles of muscle fibres can be identified in trunk musculature of this teleost fish. Attempts to homologize these fibre types with those in cyclostomes or those in higher animals proved futile. The higher number of histochemically defined muscle fibre types in cod might be explained by developmental processes and an admixture of immature fibres throughout life.