Histological and ultrastructural characterisation of Rhea Americana muscles
Résumé
Morphometrical, histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of rhea
muscles were investigated in limb M. Gastrocnemius pars interna and M. Iliofiburalis. The
fibres were larger and the extracellular area was superior in GN than in IF muscle, which
presented maximum average diameter of 55 µm. Only one type of fibre was found in
rhea muscles. Limb muscles were acid-labile and alkali-stable to m-ATPase, presented
moderate to high SDH activity and high glycogen content. The ultrastructural
observation of rhea myofibrils showed contracted and stretched areas, as well as
abundant glycogen and numerous mitochondria, mainly in IF muscle.