Structural Changes Of Intramuscular Connective Tissue During Growth Of Wuzhumuqin Sheep

Wuzhumuqin sheep aged from 1 to 18 months were used as the subjects and musculus longissimus dorsi was the sampling point. We investigated cross-section of skeletal muscle and used OPTPRO2008 to determine thickness of endomysium and perimysium; The strucural changes of endomysium and perimysium were investigated by cell maceration and Scanning Electron Microscopy during Wushumuqin sheep aged from 1 to 18 months; Collagen typeâ… and collagen typeâ…¢in the intramuscular connective tissue were identified by SDS-PAGE method; The content of collagen typeâ… and collagenâ…¢in intramuscular connective tissue were investigated by Bradford method during the growth of Wuzhumuqin sheep. Conclusions are as follow:(1) The thickness of endomysium is increasing during the growth of Wuzhumuqin sheep. It is not markedly increasing 6 month and 9 month,12 month and 18 month(P>0.05). While the thickness of perimysium is increasing from 1 to 6-month-aged, then that is slowing down in following aged animals (P<0.05).(2) The endomysium shows a honeycomb structure. The endomysial sheaths constructed from a loose network of collagen fibrils; The perimysium consisted of several layers of sheeths and was constructed from collagen fibers, which displayed gently wavy patterns. The diameter of honeycomb structure was increasing, collagen fibrils in endomysium was more closely with each other, the wavy pattern of collagen fibres in the perimysium was more regular with growth of Wuzhumuqin sheep.(3) The amounts of collagen typeâ… and collagen typeâ…¢in the intramuscular connective tissue are increasing with growth of the animal (P<0.05).