Author/Editor		Cicalo', A; Tavanti, M; Casarosa, L; Fabiani, O; Pellegrini, S
Title		Comparative histochemical and immunohistochemical investigations on connective tissue and muscular fibres of longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles of castrated and entire steers of "Chianina" breed
Type		članek
Source		In: Cestnik V, Pogačnik A, editors. Referati 6. Zavrnikovega spominskega sestanka; 1995 nov 9-11; Lipica. Ljubljana: Veterinarska fakulteta,
Publication year		1997
Volume		str. 79-82
Language		eng
Abstract		Investigations were performed to verify the eventual influence of castration on the quality of meat in "Chianina" breed. Steers, 15 entire and 15 castrated, have been slaughtered, five for group, respectively at the age of 13, 20 or 26 months. Portions of Longissimus dorsi (Ld) and Semimembranosus (Sm) muscles have been taken from every subject. With this samples immunohistochemical investigations were carried on to evaluate the quantity of connective tissue as perimysium and endomysium. Furthermore histochemical investigations were conducted to estimate, by computerized image analysis, the percentage of the three types of muscular fibres (type I or oxidative, type IIA or oxidative-glycolytic and type IIB or glycolytic). The results emphasized an increase of the rate of the connective tissue according to the increasing of age. The growth rate was higher in entire subjects than in castrated. Besides, it seems that in castrated the percentage of IIB fibres increases, according to the rising of the age, both in Ld that in Sm muscles.
Descriptors		MUSCLE, SKELETAL CATTLE IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY CASTRATION