Contractile properties and histochemistry of extraocular muscle in the pigmented and the albino guinea pig.

The inferior oblique muscles of pigmented and albino guinea pigs were compared with respect to contractile and histochemical properties. No differences were found between the 2 kinds of animal in twitch and tetanic response or in fatigue properties. They also had the same fiber composition and fiber and capillary densities of their inferior obliques. These findings indicate that differences in eye muscle previously demonstrated and Siamese (albino) cats are related to the state of binocular vision and not to genetic variations between pigmented and albino animals.