Distribution of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase and of calsequestrin at the polar regions of rat, rabbit and cat intrafusal fibers.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-pumping ATPase (Ca-ATPase) and calsequestrin (CaS) were visualized by indirect immunofluorescence at the polar regions of adult rat, rabbit and cat intrafusal fibers. The immunohistochemical reaction products were regarded as histochemical markers of the SR and as valid indicators of the distribution of the two Ca2+-sequestering proteins. Static nuclear bag2 fibers displayed lower levels of both Ca-ATPase and CaS than the other two intrafusal fiber types. Nuclear chain fibers presented the highest Ca-ATPase levels and, together with dynamic nuclear bag1 fibers, they also exhibited relatively high amounts of CaS. The level of Ca-ATPase was lower in bag 1 fibers than in nuclear chain fibers, but not as low as in bag2 fibers. The comparatively high levels of Ca-ATPase and CaS seen in nuclear chain fibers coincided with their reported faster contractile speeds compared to nuclear bag fibers.