Changes in fibre type composition of gluteus medius and semitendinosus muscles of Dutch Warmblood foals and the effect of exercise during the first year postpartum.
Abstract: In order to obtain broader insights into the equine musculoskeletal system, we studied the fibre type composition of 2 locomotory muscles in biopsies from Dutch Warmblood foals taken at 3 different ages in the first year postpartum. The muscle fibre types were determined histochemically as well as immunohistochemically. ATPase-characterised IIB fibres appear to express either IId or type lIa plus IId myosin heavy chain (MHC). A high percentage of fibres classified as IIA with ATPase expressed both fast types of MHC. The type I classification by the 2 methods matched almost completely. There was an increase with age of fibres expressing I and IIa MHC in the gluteus medius. At the same time, there was a decrease of fibres expressing IId MHC and fibres co-expressing MHC IIa and IId. MHC expression of the semitendinosus muscle did not change over time at first, but from age 22-48 weeks there was a decrease in the percentage of type IId fibres. In general, the gluteus medius contained more type I fibres but fewer type IId fibres compared to the semitendinosus. At most ages the fibre type compositions of both muscles correlated with one another. To examine the effect of exercise, one-third of the foals were given box rest, one-third received training and one-third kept at pasture during the first 22 weeks of life. The 3 exercise groups differed in their fibre type composition; however, these differences could not be attributed to the effect of exercise.
Publication Date: 2002-03-21 PubMed ID: 11902760DOI: 10.2746/042516402776767312Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examined changes in the fibre type composition of the gluteus medius and semitendinosus muscles in Dutch Warmblood foals during their first year. The exercise regimen of the foals was also taken into account but overall, it did not appear to significantly affect the fibre type composition.
Study Design and Methods
- Research was focused on the musculoskeletal system of Dutch Warmblood foals, particularly the fibre type composition of the gluteus medius and semitendinosus muscles. Biopsies were taken from the foals at three different ages during the first year following their birth.
- The muscle fibre types were identified both histochemically and immunohistochemically.
- For the investigation of the exercise effect, foals were divided into three groups— one-third were given box rest, one-third received training, and the remaining were kept in pastures in the first 22 weeks of life.
Findings and Observations
- ATPase-characterised IIB fibres expressed either IId type or a combination of lIa and IId type of myosin heavy chain (MHC).
- A significant number of fibres classified as IIA with ATPase expressed both fast types of MHC.
- With the aging foals, the number of fibres in the gluteus medius muscle expressing I and IIa MHC increased, while there was a decrease in fibres expressing IId MHC and MHC IIa/IId co-expressing fibres.
- The initial MHC expression of the semitendinosus muscle remained constant, but there was a fall in the percentage of type IId fibres between weeks 22-48.
- Generally, the gluteus medius contained more type I fibres but fewer type IId fibres compared to the semitendinosus.
- The fibre type compositions of both muscles correlated with one another at most ages.
Implications of the Exercise Regimen
- There were variations observed in the fibre type composition between the three groups of foals subjected to different exercise regimens.
- Despite these variations, the effect of exercise on these differences could not be confirmed based on the results of the study.
Cite This Article
APA
Dingboom EG, van Oudheusden H, Eizema K, Weijs WA.
(2002).
Changes in fibre type composition of gluteus medius and semitendinosus muscles of Dutch Warmblood foals and the effect of exercise during the first year postpartum.
Equine Vet J, 34(2), 177-183.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516402776767312 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Aging / physiology
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Biopsy / veterinary
- Buttocks
- Histocytochemistry / veterinary
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / growth & development
- Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
- Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / chemistry
- Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / classification
- Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
- Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
- Myosin Heavy Chains / analysis
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Valberg SJ, Williams ZJ, Ames EG, Mickelson JR, Nout-Lomas YS, Landolt G, Sanz M, Gardner K. Aberrant skeletal muscle morphogenesis and myofiber differentiation characterize equine myotonic dystrophy. PLoS One 2026;21(1):e0341655.
- de Meeûs d'Argenteuil C, Boshuizen B, Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Leybaert L, de Maré L, Goethals K, De Spiegelaere W, Oosterlinck M, Delesalle C. Comparison of Shifts in Skeletal Muscle Plasticity Parameters in Horses in Three Different Muscles, in Answer to 8 Weeks of Harness Training. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:718866.
- Zhang M, Liu YL, Fu CY, Wang J, Chen SY, Yao J, Lai SJ. Expression of MyHC genes, composition of muscle fiber type and their association with intramuscular fat, tenderness in skeletal muscle of Simmental hybrids. Mol Biol Rep 2014 Feb;41(2):833-40.
- Sutherland H, Salmons S, Ramnarine IR, Capoccia M, Walsh AA, Jarvis JC. Adaptive conditioning of skeletal muscle in a large animal model (Sus domesticus). J Anat 2006 Aug;209(2):165-77.
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