Z- and M-band appearance in different histochemically defined types of human skeletal muscle fibers

Abstract

In order to define ultrastructural features, which alone or in combination with other features could be used to identify different types of fibers in human skeletal muscle, frozen biopsy specimens of m. tibialis anterior were serially sectioned. The thawed sections were prepared either for enzyme histochemistry or for electron microscopy. The same fiber was then identified in all serial sections and its ultrastructure examined under the electron microscope. A total of 75 fibers were included in this investigation. Specimens were also conventionally prepared for electron microscopy. Special interest was devoted to the appearance of the sarcomeric Z- and M-bands. In the same fiber, all myofibrils showed the same Z- as well as M-band structure. On the other hand, it was evident that these structures varied from one type of fiber to another in the same muscle and that their appearance were covariant to a great extent. Low level resolution of Type 1 fibers usually showed broad Z- and M-bands with five strong M-bridge lines. In Type 2A fibers intermediate Z-bands were observed. In the middle portion of the M-bands, three strong M-bridge lines were distinct while the two outer lines were relatively weak. Finally, Type 2B fibers usually appeared with narrow Z-bands. The three M-bridge lines in the middle were strong while the two outer ones were very weak, if seen at all. Discriminant analysis showed that about 70% of the fibers should have been correctly allocated on the basis of the Z-band width alone. When two independent observers classified the fibers on the basis of M-band appearance, more than 95% of the fibers were correctly classified. Thus, both the Z- and M-bands, alone or in combination, can be used as fiber type discriminators. However, the M-band structure proved to be more reliable than the Z-band width, and should therefore be used as the fiber type indicator when only one of these parameters is considered.