The Histochemical and Ultrastructural Structures of Avian Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Fiber Types and Changes in Them Caused by Water Copper Level

Authors: FATİME GEYİKOĞLU, ÖZGEN VURALER, AYSEL TEMELLİ

Abstract: The histochemical and ultrastructural effects of water Cu on the anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle of 120 newly hatched broilers were investigated in a 45-day experiment. Two doses of water Cu (250 mg Cu/kg water and 500 mg Cu/kg water) were given to the poults. Two distinct categories (IIIA and IIIB) of slow tonic fibers in the control groups were detected by enzyme reactions. The ultrastructure of the Z-line, mitochondrial content and sarcotubular content differed between the 2 fiber types. In the application of 250 mg Cu/kg water, the histochemical characteristics of the IIIB fibers were clearly different from those observed in the control. In addition, a few IIIB fibers transformed to fast fiber types in their ultrastructure. No transformation of IIIA fiber type occurred, but a significant increase in fiber percentages (86.7%) was observed in the application of 500 mg Cu/kg water. In the application of 500 mg Cu/kg water, there was degeneration in IIIB fibers. Mitochondrial degeneration also occurred in both applications.

Keywords: Anterior latissimus dorsi, histochemistry, ultrastructure, copper, chicken

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