Capillary supply of the tibialis anterior muscle in young, healthy, and moderately active men and women

Summary, in English

Tibialis anterior muscle biopsies from moderately active men and women (21-30 yr; n = 30) were examined to determine potential gender differences in capillarization. The fiber type proportions [type I (T1) similar to73%] were unaffected by gender. The men (M) had significantly (P < 0.001) larger fibers than the women (W), with a greater gender effect for type II (T2) fibers P < 0.001). The M and W had similar capillary densities (CD similar to390 capillaries/mm(2)), but the capillaries-to-fiber ratio (C/F) was higher in the M (M = 2.20 +/- 0.35, W = 1.66 +/- 0.32; P < 0.01). Capillary contacts (CC) were higher in T2 than T1 for the M (P < 0.01), but not W, and M had greater CC (P < 0.001). Both fiber area per capillary (FA/C) and fiber perimeter per capillary (FP/C) indicated that T1 fibers had greater capillarization than T2 fibers (P < 0.001). There were no gender differences in T1 FA/C and T2 FA/C or T1 FP/C, but a gender difference existed for T2 FP/C (M = 60.5 +/- 10.9, W = 70.6 +/- 13.4; P < 0.01). The gender difference for C/F could be explained by fiber size; however, the physiological implications of the difference in T2 FP/C remains to be determined. In conclusion, despite gender differences for fiber size, overall, capillarization was similar between the men and women.

• Författare: MM Porter; S Stuart; M Boij; Jan Lexell
• Avdelning/ar: Neurokirurgi
• Publiceringsår: 2002
• Språk: Engelska
• Sidor: 1451-1457
• Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie: Journal of Applied Physiology
• Volym: 92
• Issue: 4
• Länkar: http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00744.2001
• Dokumenttyp: Artikel i tidskrift
• Förlag: American Physiological Society
• Ämne: Physiology
• Nyckelord: muscle fibers; capillaries; sex factors
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt: ISSN: 1522-1601