Tapering of the intrafascicular endings of muscle fibers and its implications to relay of force

Abstract

The geometric shape of the filamentous, intrafascicular type of muscle fiber ending was reconstructed as a basis for understanding the pattern in relay of the fiber's force to the muscle tendon. Single motor units (MUs) identified physiologically as being fast and slow, respectively, were isolated in cat tibialis muscles and glycogen-depleted for recognition in cross sections of the muscle frozen at its Lo. Serial measurements of cross-sectional area (CSA) using an image processing system were made along 14 intrafascicular endings of MU fibers and an additional seven, non-depleted fibers identified histochemically as slow. Comparison of coefficients of variation for the linear relation of the CSAs and of the equivalent diameters with length along the taper indicated that in both fast and slow fibers the areas bore a closer relationship, that is, the taper had the equivalent of a parabolic, rather than a conical outline. The implications of these two conformations to relay of the fiber's contractile force to surrounding structures are displayed graphically.