Does the sequence of onset of rigor mortis depend on the proportion of muscle fibre types and on intra-muscular glycogen content?

Abstract

We examined the postmortem changes in the levels of ATP, glycogen and lactic acid in two masticatory muscles and three leg muscles of rats. The proportion of fibre types of the muscles was determined with NIH image software. The ATP levels in the white muscles did not decrease up to 1 h after death, and the ATP levels 1 and 2 h after death in the white muscles were higher than those in the red muscles with a single exception. The glycogen level at death and 1 h after death and the lactic acid level 1 h after death in masticatory muscles were lower than in the leg muscles. It is possible that the differences in the proportion of muscle fibre types and in glycogen level in muscles influences the postmortem change in ATP and lactic acid, which would accelerate or retard rigor mortis of the muscles.