Muscle development in cultured blackspot seabream Pagellus bogaraveo: preliminary histochemical and immunohistochemical data on the fibre types

• Published in: Journal of fish biology 2004-12, Vol.65 (s1), p.334-334
• Main Authors: Rowlerson, A. M., Silva, P., Rocha, E., Olmedo, M., Valente, L. M. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Pagellus bogaraveo
• ISSN: 0022-1112; 1095-8649
• DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.559at.x

We studied muscle ontogeny and fibre type characteristics in the blackspot seabream, a new species for commercial aquaculture. Myosin ATPase and SDH histochemistry and immunohistochemistry were tested at different ontogenetic stages, using a panel of antibodies to myosin isoforms and parvalbumin. In general, deep white muscle was parvalbumin‐positive, and superficial ‘red’ muscle was parvalbumin‐negative at all ages examined. At 6 days of age (transition from endogenous to exogenous feeding) three layers of muscle fibres were observed with different antimyosin reactivities: superficial monolayer, presumptive slow red (present only as a small group of fibres adjacent to the lateral line nerve), and presumptive fast‐white (forming the bulk of the muscle). The superficial monolayer and presumptive slow fibres were positive for SDH. At 60 days of age (transition from live to artificial feeding) an additional fibre type was identified: a typical ‘pink’ or intermediate layer. In juveniles, the axial muscle consisted mainly of fast white fibres covered by a slow‐red layer and between them a pink layer. Surprisingly, the red layer could be resolved into two distinct types by myosin immunostaining. Red fibres were also present along the horizontal septum, near the notochord. Both red and white muscle layers showed a mosaic appearance, which was confirmed by ATPase reaction. The work was financed by British Council, CRUP, and FCT (PhD Grant SFRH‐BD‐14068–2003).