Distribution of parvalbumin in specific fibre types of chicken skeletal muscles

Abstract 1. The distribution of parvalbumin (PA), which functions as a relaxing factor in the skeletal muscles, was examined in slow anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD), fast posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD), mixed sartorius (SA), pectoralis superficialis (PS) and pectoralis profundus (PP) muscles from chickens. 2. The biochemical characteristics of these muscles were confirmed by the assay of total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity as well as the LDH isozymes for anaerobic metabolism, and by the photometrical analysis of myoglobin for aerobic metabolism. 3. PA in individual muscles was determined by a sandwich ELISA and was demonstrated by 2‐dimensional polyacrylamide‐gel electrophoresis. 4. Because of poor myoglobin and higher LDH activity or M‐type isozyme pattern, the PLD was confirmed as containing primarily fast‐twitch glycolytic and oxidative‐glycolytic (FG/FOG) fibres, while the SA was shown to be composed mosdy of FOG fibres because of the highest myoglobin content and the intermediate LDH activit...