Does sex matter in the cheetah? Insights into the skeletal muscle of the fastest land animal.
J Exp Biol
; 227(15)2024 Aug 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39023116
ABSTRACT
The cheetah is considered the fastest land animal, but studies on their skeletal muscle properties are scarce. Vastus lateralis biopsies, obtained from male and female cheetahs as well as humans, were analysed and compared for fibre type and size, and metabolism. Overall, cheetah muscle had predominantly type IIX fibres, which was confirmed by the myosin heavy chain isoform content (mean±s.d. type I 17±8%, type IIA 21±6%, type IIX 62±12%), whereas human muscle contained predominantly type I and IIA fibres (type I 49±14%, type IIA 43±8%, type IIX 7±7%). Cheetahs had smaller fibres than humans, with larger fibres in the males compared with their female counterparts. Citrate synthase (16±6 versus 28±7â
µmol min-1 g-1 protein, P<0.05) and 3-hydroxyacyl co-enzyme A dehydrogenase (30±11 versus 47±15â
µmol min-1 g-1 protein, P<0.05) activities were lower in cheetahs than in humans, whereas lactate dehydrogenase activity was 6 times higher in cheetahs (2159±827 versus 382±161â
µmol min-1 g-1 protein, P<0.001). The activities of creatine kinase (4765±1828 versus 6485±1298, P<0.05â
µmol min-1 g-1 protein) and phosphorylase (111±29 versus 216±92â
µmol min-1 g-1 protein) were higher in humans, irrespective of the higher type IIX fibres in cheetahs. Superoxide dismutase and catalase, markers of antioxidant capacity, were higher in humans, but overall antioxidant capacity was higher in cheetahs. To conclude, fibre type, fibre size and metabolism differ between cheetahs and humans, with limited differences between the sexes.
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Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Acinonyx
Límite:
Adult
/
Animals
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Exp Biol
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Sudáfrica