Histochemical analysis of skeletal muscular tissues of pigs according to genotype MYF 4 (Short communication)

Abstract. The results of histochemical analysis of 3 muscles – m. triceps brachii (MTB), m. longissimus thoracitus (MLT) and m. rectus femoris (MRF) – in 2 groups of pigs formed according to the genotypes MYF 4 are presented in this study. Determination of MYF 4 genotypes was performed by the polymerase chain reaction method (PCR). For histochemical analysis, 5 animals detected as homozygotes of the MYF 4-AA type and 5 animals of the heterozygous genotype AB were used out of the total 25 individual animals tested. The histochemical analysis demonstrated that homozygotes AA had larger fat cells on the average than heterozygotes AB in the three studied muscles, which was statistically significant (P<0.05). The percentage surface representation of interstitial tissues was higher in the studied muscles of heterozygotes MYF 4-AB. The volume of interstitial tissues was the highest in the MRF in both groups (myogenin – AA and AB). The average thickness of muscle fibres of the three studied muscles was higher in the homozygote genotype myogenin MYF 4-AA than in heterozygotes MYF 4-AB, which was statistically significant (P<0.05).