SHRINKAGE OF MUSCLE-FIBERS DURING THE FIXATION OF CADAVERIC TISSUE

  • 1 October 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 160, 75-78
Abstract
Shrinkage of muscles during fixation has been investigated to determine if a correction factor for shrinkage was necessary in measurements of sarcomere length on human cadaveric material. Isolated muscles from an amputated leg shrank significantly when fixed under conditions simulating the standard embalming procedure. Isolated rat muscles shrank during fixation under the same conditions to a similar extent. However, rat muscles fixed whilst still attached to the skeleton did not shrink perceptibly. It is concluded that no correction for shrinkage is required in measurements of sarcomere length made on human cadaveric muscles, which have invariably been fixed whilst still attached to the skeleton.