Succinate dehydrogenase activity in fibres classified by myosin ATPase in three hind limb muscles of rat.

1. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity was assessed in situ in single fibres of cross-sectioned extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus, and soleus muscles of rat by means of microphotometric recordings of initial maximum reaction rates. 2. Each fibre assessed for SDH activity was subjectively classified into myosin subgroups by its histochemical reaction for myofibrillar actomyosin ATPase (myosin ATPase) following preincubation at pH 4.6 according to Brooke & Kaiser (1970). 3. The majority of fibres classified into myosin types I and IIa were highly reactive for SDH, such that those myosin groups could be interchangeable with the metabolic subgroups of Peter, Barnard, Edgerton, Gillespie & Stempel (1972); myosin I = slow-twitch oxidative, myosin IIa = fast-twitch oxidative glycolytic. 4. The myosin type IIb fibres, however, demonstrated marked variability in activity levels of SDH. Over 40% of those fibres had high SDH activity, and thus could not be equated with the metabolic subgroup fast-twitch glycolytic. 5. The histochemical reaction for myosin ATPase in muscle fibres therefore cannot be used as a reliable means to predict the fibres' metabolic characteristics.