Histochemical study of the forelimb muscles in Rana temporaria L.

Fibre types in the 7 forelimb muscles of Rana temporaria were characterized according to actomyosin ATP-ase activity and 5 distinct fibre types were distinguished. Besides the twitch fibres of type I, IIA, IIB, and IIC, also the tonic fibres were found in the examined muscles. The metabolic profiles of these fibre types was identified on the basis of SDH activity. The scores of SDH activity of different fibre types overlapped and correlation between fibre types defined by ATP-ase activity and their metabolic profiles was not found. All investigated muscles showed the heterogenous distribution of fibre types. Caput superius m. extensoris carpi radialis and caput mediale m. anconei were composed of 4 and 3 fibre types, respectively, in the opposite to the other ones which contained all 5 types of fibres.