Structure and innervation of extraocular muscles of Carassius

The extraocular muscles of the carp Carassius contain two types of muscle fibre. Large white fibres have ribbon shaped peripheral myofibrils and triads located at the Z line. Small red fibres, rich in mitochondria, have polygonal shaped myofibrils and triads at the A-I junction. Silver and cholinesterase stained preparations show that the large fibres are innervated by axons which spiral around them and exhibit intense cholinesterase activity over long distances. Axons supplying small muscle fibres run across bundles of fibres, making one contact with each fibre. By electron microscopy the nerve endings on each fibre type appear identical, both having a smooth post junctional muscle membrane. The differences in structure and innervation pattern of the two fibre types are discussed in relation to their possible functional roles.