[Characterization of striated muscle fiber types by Ca2+-ATPase and myoglobin immunohistochemistry of the sarcoplasmic reticulum].

By the immunohistochemical demonstration of SR calcium ATPase and myoglobin a fibre classification method was developed. Fast fibres showed intense, while slow fibres weak SR calcium ATPase reactivity. Immunohistochemical reaction of myoglobin characterized the oxidative metabolic state of fibres similar to the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) reaction. By means of SR calcium ATPase and myoglobin immunohistochemistry fibres were classified as slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative glycolytic (FOG) and fast glycolytic (Fg) groups. The SR calcium ATPase activity of the different fibres varied in the FG greater than FOG greater than SO order, while myoglobin immunoreactivity in the FOG greater than SO greater than FG order. Both proteins studied preserved their antigenicities in Bouin's fixative or in formol-acetate and paraffin embedding. The light microscopic immunogold-silver method was found suitable also for electron microscopy. The silver intensification of small particle-size (5 nm) gold conjugate results in a reaction with the joint advantages of high sensitivity and optimal visibility. The described immunohistochemical method proved to be suitable for the retrospective differentiation of human biopsy materials.