Muscle fiber types in tetrapods. A comparative histochemical and morphometric study.

A comparative histochemical and morphometric study in two groups of homologous muscles from different tetrapods (rat, pigeon, lizard and frog) was performed. On the basis of their fiber diameters and oxidative enzyme activities, an initial correlation between fiber types of all animals is observed, although in the lizard and frog muscles, another fiber type does exists that could not be demonstrated in higher vertebrates. When more than one histochemical techniques are used for the identification of each tetrapod fiber types, the lack of correlation between them becomes obvious. Thus, different animals groups, each showing a characteristic muscle metabolic pattern, could be distinguished.