The structural changes in intramuscular connective tissues endomysium and perimysium during post mortem ageing of chicken semitendinosus muscle were investigated using an improved technique of scanning electron microscopy. In post mortem chicken aged for 12h at 4℃, the endomysium resolved into individual collagen fibrils and the perimysial sheets separated into collagen fibres. These results provide direct evidence for the structural weakening of endomysium and perimysium during post mortem ageing. The structural changes in the intramuscular connective tissue were minimal until 6h post mortem, but clearly observable after 12h post mortem. It was concluded that this disintegration of the intramuscular connective tissue is the chief mechanism in tenderisation during extended post mortem ageing of chicken.

The shear-force value, the total amount of collagen, heat-solubility of collagen and thickness of the perimysium were measured on six kinds of chicken skeletal muscle. Toughness of the meat was significantly correlated with both total amount of collagen (r2=0.94) and thickness of the perimysium (r2=0.95). Although differences in heat-solubility of collagen were observed among the six muscles, heat-solubility of collagen was not correlated to the shearforce value. These results suggest that the total amount of collagen and structures of the perimysium are the major factors determining toughness of chicken.

Histones were detected in the HCl extract of bone matrix. The mecharusm of their incorporation into the matrix was investigated by in vitro binding experiments. We purified from the HCl extract ofbovine bone a group of basic proteins, which were identified as histones by Western blotting using antilustone antibody. Histones were incubated with synthetic hydroxyapatite, and were found to be bound to the crystals. Bone non-collagenous protems were separated by gel electrophoresis and transferred to a membrane. The membrane was incubated with histones, and the histones bound were detected with antihistone antibody. Histones were specifically bound to proteoglycans. Histones derived from dead bone cells may be incorporated into bone matrix by their affiruty to hydroxyapatite and/or to proteoglycans.

Structural changes in the intramuscular connective tissue during development of bovine semitendinosus muscle were investigated using the cell-maceration method for scanning electron microscopy, by which cellular elements were eliminated and collagen fibrils and fibres were exposed. The endomysium was discontinuous and showed various shapes and sizes in the muscle of 7-month fetuses. The perimysium consisted of collagen fibres in loose contact with each other. In the muscle of neonatal calves, the endomysium consisted of cylindrical sheaths and displayed a honeycomb structure, and the perimysium was composed of several layers of collagen fibres. Collagen fibrils in the endomysium bound ever more closely with each other, and collagen fibres in the perimysium increased in thickness, and the wavy pattern of collagen fibres became more regular with growth of cattle. We have examined the mechanical strength of the intramuscular connective tissue by our new method, 'intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) model'. The IMCT model is composed of collagen fibrils and fibres which maintains the organization in the endomysium and perimysium in situ. The shear-force value of the model increased rapidly from the 7th fetal month to the neonatal stage, and increased linearly with postnatal ageing thereafter. Changes in the arrangement of collagen fibrils and fibres seem to be closely related to an increase in the mechanical strength of the intramuscular connective tissue during development of bovine skeletal muscle.

对利用盐场废弃物卤蝇蛆壳提取甲壳素和制备壳聚糖的方法及工艺进行初步探索。确定最佳的工艺条件为：蝇蛆壳:盐酸（2mol/L）=1g:5mL，在室温下反应1h即可除去无机盐；另在室温下，先用质量分数2%NaOH与样品反应4h后，过滤，再用质量分数10%NaOH于沸水中与样品反应4h，可有效去除蛆壳中的蛋白；脱乙酰基采用质量分数为45%的NaOH，100℃，反应时间为1h。在该条件下可得脱乙酰率较高的壳聚糖，制成的壳聚糖成品为白色，脱乙酰度为78.90%，粘度为1.12Pa·s。