The physiological role of nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a regulator of many cellular processes. Importantly, the formative enzyme NO synthase (NOS) was found to have high levels of activity in skeletal muscle and the activity of the neuronal isoform of NOS was higher in muscle than in the brain. Roles for NO in the regulation of muscle
contractility, energy metabolism, calcium homeostasis, and proteolysis have emerged. Since many of these processes are critical determinants of meat quality, the hypothesis of this thesis is that NO influences physiological determinants of meat quality.