Re: Re[2]: pectoral muscles

["Matthew Troutman" <m_troutman@hotmail.com>]

<<1. White meat in chicken is pale in color not because of lower 
hemoglobin content, and not because of a reduced blood supply, but 
because of lower myoglobin content (and also lower mitochondrial 
density). Myoglobin is an oxygen-binding protein similar to hemoglobin, 
but it is found inside muscle cells themselves, where it helps to unload 
oxygen from blood to muscle cell, and also stores some oxygen within the 
muscle for later use.>>

Thanks for clearing up my mistake.  

<<3. Such quick bursts actually require MORE power (mechanical energy 
per unit time) than sustained forward flapping fight. The tension and 
strain on the muscle attachments are likely to be HIGHER for such burst 
flight than for sustained forward flight. White muscle generates more 
power than red muscle (because anaerobic pathways supply energy faster, 
and because without mitochodria taking up space, contractile muscle 
fibrils are more densely packed). Thus white muscles are not merely 
"sufficient," they are _better_ suited to certain functions than red 
muscles. However, anaerobically supported power output cannot be 
sustained for more than a couple of minutes; there's the trade-off.>>

Rather like the inferred muscle physiology of Archaeopteryx by John 
Ruben.  

Again thanks for cleaning up my silly mistakes.

Matt Troutman

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