How to calculate human muscle fibre areas in biopsy samples-methodological considerations

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Abstract
Cross-sectional muscle fiber areas (type I, II A and II B) were determined in duplicate biopsies from the left vastus lateralis (n = 11) and in biopsies from right and left vastus latervalis (n = 8). The SD for the difference in means between duplicate biopsies was 510 .mu.m2 for type I, 1020 .mu.m2 for type II A and 860 .mu.m2 for type II B. Expressed as coefficient of variation (CV) these SD constituted 10, 15 and 15%, respectively. The variation in fiber size within a sample was considerably less than the variation between samples on the assumption that at least 15-20 areas of each fiber type were measured per sample. No difference in mean fiber area for type I, II A and II B fibers was obtained between the right and left muscle. Several artifacts due to the sampling and preparing procedures are discussed and a method for determining muscle fiber areas in biopsy samples is suggested.