Spectrophotometric studies on intact muscle. II. Recovery from contractile activity

AMPK activation is sufficient to increase skeletal muscle glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis but is not required for contraction-mediated increases in glucose metabolism

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a cellular sensor of energetics and when activated in skeletal muscle during contraction can impart changes in skeletal muscle metabolism. Therapeutics that selectively activate AMPK have been developed to lower glucose levels through increased glucose disposal rates as an approach to abrogate the hyperglycemic state of diabetes; however, the metabolic fate of glucose following AMPK activation remains unclear. We have used a combination of in vivo evaluation of glucose homeostasis and ex vivo skeletal muscle incubation to systematically evaluate metabolism following pharmacological activation of AMPK with PF-739, comparing this with AMPK activation through sustained intermittent electrical stimulation of contraction. These methods to activate AMPK result in increased glucose uptake but divergent metabolism of glucose: pharmacological activation results in increased glycogen accumulation while contraction-induced glucose uptake results in increased lactate formation and glucose oxidation. These results provide additional evidence to support a role for AMPK in control of skeletal muscle metabolism and additional insight into the potential for AMPK stimulation with small molecule direct activators.

NAD(+)/NADH and skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptations to exercise

The pyridine nucleotides, NAD(+) and NADH, are coenzymes that provide oxidoreductive power for the generation of ATP by mitochondria. In skeletal muscle, exercise perturbs the levels of NAD(+), NADH, and consequently, the NAD(+)/NADH ratio, and initial research in this area focused on the contribution of redox control to ATP production. More recently, numerous signaling pathways that are sensitive to perturbations in NAD(+)(H) have come to the fore, as has an appreciation for the potential importance of compartmentation of NAD(+)(H) metabolism and its subsequent effects on various signaling pathways. These pathways, which include the sirtuin (SIRT) proteins SIRT1 and SIRT3, the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins PARP1 and PARP2, and COOH-terminal binding protein (CtBP), are of particular interest because they potentially link changes in cellular redox state to both immediate, metabolic-related changes and transcriptional adaptations to exercise. In this review, we discuss what is known, and not known, about the contribution of NAD(+)(H) metabolism and these aforementioned proteins to mitochondrial adaptations to acute and chronic endurance exercise.

NAD(+)/NADH and skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptations to exercise

The pyridine nucleotides, NAD(+) and NADH, are coenzymes that provide oxidoreductive power for the generation of ATP by mitochondria. In skeletal muscle, exercise perturbs the levels of NAD(+), NADH, and consequently, the NAD(+)/NADH ratio, and initial research in this area focused on the contribution of redox control to ATP production. More recently, numerous signaling pathways that are sensitive to perturbations in NAD(+)(H) have come to the fore, as has an appreciation for the potential importance of compartmentation of NAD(+)(H) metabolism and its subsequent effects on various signaling pathways. These pathways, which include the sirtuin (SIRT) proteins SIRT1 and SIRT3, the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins PARP1 and PARP2, and COOH-terminal binding protein (CtBP), are of particular interest because they potentially link changes in cellular redox state to both immediate, metabolic-related changes and transcriptional adaptations to exercise. In this review, we discuss what is known, and not known, about the contribution of NAD(+)(H) metabolism and these aforementioned proteins to mitochondrial adaptations to acute and chronic endurance exercise.

Accurate myoglobin oxygen saturation by optical spectroscopy measured in blood-perfused rat muscle

Optical spectra were acquired from myoglobin and hemoglobin solutions and from the tibialis anterior muscle of Sprague-Dawley rats in the visible region (515 to 660 nm). Validation studies were performed on the in vitro spectra to demonstrate that partial least squares analysis of second-derivative spectra yields accurate measurements of myoglobin saturation in the presence of varying hemoglobin concentrations and saturations. When hemoglobin concentrations were varied between 0.25 and 4 times that of myoglobin, myoglobin saturations were measured with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 4.9% (n = 56) over the full range from 0 to 1. Myoglobin saturations were also shown to be largely unaffected by hemoglobin saturation. RMSE values of only 1.7% (n = 77) were found when hemoglobin saturations were varied independently from myoglobin saturations. These in vitro validation studies represent the most complete and rigorous done to date using partial least squares analysis on myoglobin and hemoglobin spectra. Analysis of reflectance spectra from the rat hind limb yielded accurate measures of volume-averaged myoglobin fractional saturation in the presence of hemoglobin in vivo. Hemodilution showed that myoglobin fractional saturation measurements in the rat leg are not sensitive to changes in hematocrit, thereby confirming the results from solutions in vitro. Decreases in optical density of 11.3 +/- 3.0% (n = 3) were achieved while myoglobin saturation decreased by only 3.1 +/- 3.8%. Myoglobin saturation was significantly increased when the fraction of inspired O(2) was increased, showing that manipulations of myoglobin saturation are detectable and that myoglobin is not fully saturated in resting muscle. Together, these in vitro and in vivo studies show that cellular oxygenation derived from myoglobin fractional saturation can be measured accurately with little cross-talk from hemoglobin in the visible wavelength region, thereby extending optical spectroscopic studies of cellular and vascular oxygenation beyond the near-infrared regions previously studied.

The Redox State of Cytochrome Oxidase in Brain in Vivo: An Historical Perspective

Recent evidence suggests that cytochrome oxidase is partially reduced under resting conditions in the brain. Previous data, recorded over the past 30 years from intact brain using optical methods in the visible wavelength range, are consistent with this observation. These older data, while not conclusive in themselves, support the overall conclusions. The historical perspective on the experiments and controversies illustrates a number of useful principles. The first is that new methods tend to produce new observations that may be difficult to reproduce due to the uniqueness of the instrumentation. The second is that any new and different observations cannot be assimilated without an acceptable theoretical framework and, without assimilation can have little impact. Finally, the mechanisms which might explain why cytochrome oxidase may be more reduced than previously thought are still not fully developed and, therefore, the physiological significance of such reduction is not known.

Control of skeletal muscle perfusion at the onset of dynamic exercise

At the onset of exercise there is a rapid increase in skeletal muscle vascular conductance and blood flow. Several mechanisms involved in the regulation of muscle perfusion have been proposed to initiate this hyperemic response, including neural, metabolic, endothelial, myogenic, and muscle pump mechanisms. Investigators utilizing pharmacological blockade of cholinergic muscarinic receptors and sympathectomy have concluded that neither sympathetic cholinergic nor adrenergic neural mechanisms are involved in the initial hyperemia. Studies have also shown that the time course for vasoactive metabolite release, diffusion, accumulation, and action is too long to account for the rapid increase in vascular conductance at the initiation of exercise. Furthermore, there is little or no evidence to support an endothelium or myogenic mechanism as the initiating factor in the muscle hyperemia. Thus, the rise in muscle blood flow does not appear to be explained by known neural, metabolic, endothelial, or myogenic influences. However, the initial hyperemia is consistent with the mechanical effects of the muscle pump to increase the arteriovenous pressure gradient across muscle. Because skeletal muscle blood flow is regulated by multiple and redundant mechanisms, it is likely that neural, metabolic, and possibly endothelial factors become important modulators of mechanically induced exercise hyperemia following the first 5-10 s of exercise.

Optical studies of biochemical events in the electric organ of Electrophorus

When slices of the main electric organ of Electrophorus are stimulated electrically, three different effects can be detected optically. These are: (1) A large decrease in absorption evidently due to a decrease of light scattering within the tissue; this change increases gradually with decreasing wavelength. (2) A decrease in absorption which has a definite peak at about 420 nm and is interpreted as arising from oxidation of a haemoprotein. (3) A diphasic (under some conditions triphasic) change in fluorescence emission, interpreted as arising from oxidation/reduction of diphosphopyridine nucleotide. This paper is mainly concerned with an examination of the third of these effects. Identification of the fluorescence response with reduction of DPN was supported by determination of excitation and emission spectra of resting tissue at room temperatures and at the temperature of liquid nitrogen. The emission spectrum of the fluorescence change after stimulation was also determined with a differential spectrofluorometer. The results of the fluorometry agreed well with those obtained by direct chemical analysis. The time course of the fluorescence response and the effect on it of various factors such as amount of stimulation, interval between periods of stimulation, direction of observation, electrical load, temperature, exclusion of oxygen and inhibitors of oxidative metabolism and glycolysis, are described in some detail. A combination of these observations with the results of chemical analyses and thermal studies supports the view that the sequence of events on stimulation of the electric organ is: (1) changes in internal ionic concentrations resulting from the flow of electric current: (2) activation of the sodium pump, driven by phosphate-bond energy and drawing initially on the reservoir provided by creatine phosphate; (3) activation of glycogenolysis to restore the ATP/ADP ratio. The bearing of the changes observed in the DPNH/DPN ratio on the mechanism by which glycogenolysis is controlled is discussed briefly.

Is the intracellular pH threshold an anaerobic threshold from the view point of intracellular events?: a brief review

Intracellular biochemical changes could be monitored noninvasivery and continuously by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In about the last decade, intracellular behavior of phosphorus compounds and pH during muscle contraction in man have been studied by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). During incremental load, lactic acidosis was followed by a decline in intracellular pH. 31P-MRS studies has been definitely proved that this change in intracellular pH shows the threshold behavior. Some reports discussed the intracellular pH threshold (pHT) as an anaerobic threshold (AT) from the view point of intracellular events. However, our studies revealed that pHT did not reflect the onset of lactate production. In this article, studies of intracellular pH of working muscle were reviewed in relation to an anaerobic threshold.

Continuous read-out of cytochrome b, flavin and pyridine nucleotide oxido-reduction processes in the perfused frog heart and contracting skeletal muscle

The time-sharing instrument for continuous read-out of the fluorescence levels of NAD(P)H and oxidized-flavoproteins, which also makes simultaneous dual beam differential absorption measurements of cytochrome b, has been applied to the study of the metabolic control of the frog heart, perfused in vitro with normal and variously modified Ringer solutions, and to the frog skeletal muscle in situ. In the ionically depolarized resting heart, the long term kinetic analysis of the redox processes during oxygen/anoxia transitions has proved to be an adequate method for identifying and following three fundamental intracellular redox compartments: (1) the respiratory system, (2) the microsomal system, and (3) the glycolytic system. The provision of substrates and/or suitable inhibitors has allowed the description of functional interrelationships within the mitochondrial and the cytoplasmic spaces. The ouabain major site of response has been located on the cytosolic pyridine nucleotides, with a very small response in the mitochondrial space. The switching on and off of substantial fractions of the NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H and Fpoxidized/Fpreduced pools has been observed, which helps to clarify the large phase shift between the overall pyridine nucleotide and flavin oxidation-reduction processes, during the cycle of the spontaneously beating heart and during skeletal muscle contraction and recovery, here originally prompted out.

Redox state changes in human skeletal muscle after isometric contraction

Subjects maintained an isometric contraction of the quadriceps femoris muscle at two-thirds maximal voluntary contraction (m.v.c.) force for 5 s (5.0 +/- 0.3 s; mean +/- S.E. of mean; n = 6) or until fatigue (52 +/- 4 s; n = 13). Muscle biopsies were obtained at rest, immediately after the contractions and also at 1 and 4 min of recovery after contraction to fatigue. In all subjects 5 s isometric contraction resulted in an increase of muscle NADH (0.084 +/- 0.012 at rest to 0.203 +/- 0.041 mmol/kg dry wt.) and a decrease of phosphocreatine (PC; change in concentration = -17.3 +/- 3.8 mmol/kg dry wt.). Glucose-6-phosphate concentration was more than doubled whereas lactate increased in only four of the six subjects. The two subjects who did not show any increase in lactate also had the lowest increase in NADH. At fatigue NADH increased to 0.226 +/- 0.032 mmol/kg dry wt. which was not significantly different from the value after 5 s contraction. Muscle PC was nearly depleted and lactate increased 12-fold above resting levels. The major part (65%) of the NADH increase at fatigue had reverted after 1 min recovery but only a slight further decrease occurred between 1 and 4 min of recovery. In relative terms the time course of the changes in muscle NADH during the first minute of recovery was similar to that of PC resynthesis, suggesting a common regulator such as O2 availability. In contrast to the delayed return of NADH concentration, PC resynthesis continued during the later part of the recovery period and PC concentration was almost fully restored after 4 min of recovery. It is concluded that muscle NADH is already maximally increased in the first seconds of muscle contraction at two-thirds m.v.c. Indirect evidence indicates that this increase reflects a reduction of the mitochondrial NAD-NADH redox couple. The rapid establishment of a reduced mitochondrial redox state at the start of muscle contraction will probably lead to a reduction of the redox state in the cytoplasm also and therefore be important for enhancing lactate formation.

The effect of intracellular oxygen concentration on lactate release, pyridine nucleotide reduction, and respiration rate in the rat cardiac tissue

By measuring the absorbance change due to myoglobin oxygenation in hemoglobin-free isolated perfused rat hearts, we analyzed effects of perfusion pressure and heart rate upon the intracellular oxygen concentration. With Langendorff perfusion, the cardiac tissue was kept normoxic (above 50 microM O2) at aortic pressure above 50 cm H2O, but became hypoxic (8 microM O2) at 30 cm H2O. The increase in cardiac work, expressed as the product of peak systolic pressure and heart rate, increased oxygen consumption at aortic pressure of 50-200 cm H2O. The heart was kept normoxic under these conditions. Lactate release, oxygen consumption, and the oxidation-reduction state of pyridine nucleotide were measured as a function of myoglobin oxygenation under various normoxic and anoxic conditions. Pyridine nucleotide fluorescence and lactate release started to increase as the intracellular oxygen concentration decreased to 6 and 10 microM, respectively. Oxygen consumption was kept constant until the oxygen concentration decreased to 10 microM and slowed down below it. A close relationship between oxygen consumption and lactate release was observed. Infusions of epinephrine and norepinephrine under normoxic perfusion conditions increased cardiac work, oxygen consumption, and lactate release. More than 50% of myoglobin was then deoxygenated even under normoxic perfusion conditions. The increase in lactate release was ascribable to the increase in glycolytic flux caused by hypoxia. The change of pyridine nucleotide fluorescence by epinephrine was also explained by hypoxia in cardiac tissue.

Significance of glucose for mechanical activity, flavin and pyridine nucleotide oxidation-reduction changes in isolated rat portal veins under ACh-stimulation

The influence of extracellular glucose on isometric concentrations induced by acetylcholine was investigated under aerobic conditions in rat portal veins. In order to estimate the contractile potency of acetylcholine (ACh), dose-response curves of ACh and nor-epinephrine (NE) were compared. Simultaneously with the mechanical activity, changes in the redox states of pyridine nucleotides (PN) and flavoproteins were detected by a surface-fluorimetric method. Tissue concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and ATP were determined parallel to ACh-induced contractions at corresponding intervals. In response to ACh-induced contractions, PN and flavoproteins were oxidized in vessels supplied with glucose. Following 6 h of glucose withdrawal, a small reduction or no change in the redox state was observed; ACh-induced contractions and tissue concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and ATP were decreased. When glucose was added, the contraction force was restituted, and the tissue concentrations of glucose, lactate and PN were increased again. The ATP concentration remained decreased. The results suggest that isometric contractions of portal veins are significantly influenced by aerobic glycolysis. A direct effect of glucose on the excitability of vascular smooth muscle is discussed.

NAD in muscle of man at rest and during exercise

NAD can be used to assess the adequacy of oxygen availability to the respiratory chain. An enzymatic assay was established for NAD in human muscle biopsy samples. It gave reliable, reproducible results. The variation within and between subjects was less than 12%. Muscle NAD and lactate were determined at rest, and after bicycle ergometry work requiring approximately 75 and approximately 100% VO2 max (six subjects, four tests each). A positive (P less than 0.01) linear relationship between resting muscle NAD and percent slow twitch fibers was found, suggesting that fiber types may have different NAD content. Muscle NAD decreased during submaximal and maximal work (P less than 0.05). A large portion (73%) of the NAD reduction could be accounted for by increased muscle water. No relationship could be established between NAD and lactate. The negative linear relationship (P less than 0.01) between the muscle/blood ratio and percent slow twitch fibers is another indication of the fiber having different metabolic responses to the activity.

Association of increased pHi with calcium ion release in skeletal muscle

The pH difference across the cell membrane of frog sartorius muscle cells was measured with the distribution of 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidine-dione (DMO) as the marker. Depolarization of the muscles to values at or below the contraction threshold caused by elevating external potassium up to approximately 20 mM resulted in an internal alkalinization. The change was smaller with superthreshold depolarization (20--30 mM [K+]). The alkalinization was blocked by agents that block calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (procaine and dantrolene sodium). Other agents that cause calcium release (caffeine, theophylline, and quinine) were found to give alkalinization when tested at concentrations just below the contracture threshold. Increased acidification of the extracellular medium was associated with the internal alkalinization. The data were interpreted as indicating the presence of a calcium-stimulated H+ and/or OH- ion transport system in the muscle membrane.

A fluorometric study of oxidative metabolism in the in vivo canine heart during acute ischemia and hypoxia

Optical techniques for monitoring the fluorescence of intramitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) were employed to allow an on-line, non-invasive study of the metabolic state of healthy and ischemic cardiac tissue in the intact dog. Acute interruption of blood flow to the area of myocardium studied resulted in an immediate rise in NADH, indicating impairment of oxidative metabolism due to limitation of oxygen availability. Release of the coronary artery occlusion resulted in an oxidation of NADH to preocclusion baseline and signaled repayment of incurred O2 debt. Collateral flow produced a spontaneous fall in NADH levels towards preocclusion baseline. Hypoxic tissue was recognized by an oxidation of NADH on ventilation with 100 per cent O2, while in normal hearts no oxidation indicated the O2 was not rate limiting. Ischemic NADH increases preceded the onset of epicardial EKG changes, suggesting that an inability to rephosphorylate ADP to ATP is the primary cause of the EKG changes. Fluorometry of the in vivo heart provides a sensitive, continuous technique of monitoring cardiac cellular mitochondrial NAD;NADH redox levels and, therefore, the adequacy of high energy phosphate production and allows localization of cardiac tissue with marginal oxygen supply.

Response of toad brain respiratory chain enzymes to ouabain, elevated potassium, and electrical stimulus

Spectrophotometric and fluorometric techniques were used to monitor the proportion of reduced to oxidized cytochrome (cyt) and levels of reduced pyridine nucleotide in preparations of whole toad brain in vitro. In resting, well-oxygenated brain, levels of reduction for cyt a3 ranged between 5% and 23%; for cyt a, 17-23%; for cyt c, 18-32%, and for cyt b, 25-42%. These levels of reduction cannot be due to functional hypoxia since hemoglobin in resting brains is 100% oxygenated. In brains treated with 10(-4) M ouabain, stimulant of brain respiration, the cytochromes first become more oxidized, then more reduced; ultimately there is a tendency to return to the initial levels of reduction. In brains bathed with solutions containing 30 mM potassium, also a stimulant of brain respiration, the response is an immediate pulse of reduction in all cytochromes, followed by a tendency to return to the initial levels. Short trains of pulses of electrical field stimulation result in a biphasic change in the level of reduction of cyt a3, an initial slight reduction being followed by a transient of increased oxidation. This response can be abolished by low-sodium bathing solution but not by ouabain. Cytochromes a, b and c show a simple oxidative response to electrical stimulation; the kinetics of this oxidative response are similar to those of the oxidative transient of the cyt a3 response. Pyridine nucleotides, as measured by their fluorescence, respond to electrical stimulation with a transient oxidation which exhibits slower kinetics than the response of the cytochromes. The high resting levels of reduction of cyt a and cyt a3, the reductive response to ouabain and potassium, and the oxidative response of all cytochromes to electrical stimulation suggest a tighter coupling between oxygen utilization and neuronal function than would be expected if mitochondrial redox states simply reflected changes in phosphate acceptor potential resulting from activity of Na+-K+ ATPase.

Aerobic recovery metabolism following a single isometric tetanus in frog sartorius muscle at 0 degrees C

1. Basal and recovery O2 consumption, delatO2, in frog sartorius muscles at 0 degrees C were measured with a polarographic electrode. Reproducible observations were made with the same muscle over many hours. 2. The experimental records had an exponential form except for the early phases of recovery following a single isometric tetanus. Diffusion of O2 within the muscle was adequate to account for this deviation from an exponential time course of recovery. The time constant of the recovery O2 consumption increased with the duration of tetanic stimulation from 5 to 20 sec. 3. Lactate synthesis was measureable in unstimulated aerobic muscles and increased in proportion to total O2 consumption as long as the muscle did not lack O2. The contribution of glycolysis to the total chemical energy production during recovery was 6-9%; for hypoxic muscles it was greater. 4. The resynthesis of phosphorylcreatine and the decrease in inorganic phosphate and free creatine following a tetanus showed an exponential time course similar to recovery O2. Initial concentrations were re-attained within 60 min following a 20 sec tetanus. 5. We conclude that recovery O2 consumpation is a useful and accurate measure of the net chemical energy utilization for a single contraction.

Responses of electrical potential, potassium levels, and oxidative metabolic activity of the cerebral neocortex of cats

We measured simultaneously the oxidative metabolic activity, monitored as the tissue fluorescence attribute to intramitochondrial NADH, the extracellular potassium level with ion-selective microelectrodes, and the focal extracellular electrical potential, of one site in intact cerebral cortex of cats. When the cerebral was stimulated by trains of repeated electric pulses applied either directly to its surface or to an afferent pathway, the corrected cortical fluorescence (F-R) declined indicating oxidation of NADH, the activity of extracellular potassium [K+]o increased, and the extracellular potential (Vec) shifted in the negative direction. When mild to moderate stimuli not exceeding 10-15 sec in duration were used, a 3-fold correlation was found between these three variables. The regression of F-R over either Vec, or over log [K+]o had a positive ordinal intercept. The results are in agreement with earlier suggestions 4,24,25,43,45,46 that (a) much but not all the oxidative metabolic response of cortex to electrical stimulation is expended in restoring disturbed ion balance; and (b) that sustained shifts of potential (SP) in response to repetitive electrical stimulation are generated by glia cells depolarized by excess potassium. The magnitude of SP shifts associated with a given elevation of [k+]o are smaller in cerebral cortex than in spinal cord48,49. The correlation of F-R with [K+]o breaks down when pathologic processes of either seizure activity or spreading depression set in. During paroxysmal activity [K+]o tends to remain confined below 10-12 mM, a level observed in non-convulsing cortex as well, but oxidation of NADH progresses beyond that seen in non-convulsing cortex as well, but oxidation of NADH progresses beyond that seen in non-convulsing tissue. This observation is hard to reconcile with the suggestion that excess potassium is a factor in the generation of seizures, at least of the type observed in this study. When [K+]o levels exceeded 10-12 mM, spreading depression invariably followed at least under the unanesthetized condition in these experiments. During spreading depression [K+]o levels rose to exceed 30 mM, sometimes 80 mM. NADH was oxidized during spreading depression to a level comparable to that seen in seizures. The observations are compatible with the suggestion13 that spreading depression occurs whenever the release of potassium into extracellular fluid is overloading its clearance therefrom.

Optical measurement of the catalase-hydrogen peroxide intermediate (Compound I) in the liver of anaesthetized rats and its implication to hydrogen peroxide production in situ

The spectrophotometric determination of the catalase-H2O2 intermediate (Compound I) was extended to the liver in situ in anaesthetized rats. The rate of H2O2 production was determined for the liver in situ with endogenous substrates, and in the presence of excess of glycollate. Glycollate infusion doubled H2O2 production rate in the liver of air-breathing rats, and caused a fourfold increase when rats breathed O2 at 1 times 10(5) Pa. Hyperbaric O2 up to 6 times 10(5) Pa did not increase H2O2 generation supported by endogenous substrates, nor did it increase H2O2 production above that produced by 1 times 10(5) Pa O2 in glycollate-supplemented rats. The rates of ethanol oxidation via hepatic catalase and via alcohol dehydrogenase in the whole body were separately measured. The contribution of hepatic catalase to ethanol oxidation was found to be approx. 10 percent in endogenous conditions and increased to 30 percent or more of the total ethanol oxidation in rats supplemented with glycolate.

Heat production and fluorescence changes of toad sartorius muscle during aerobic recovery after a short tetanus

1. The time course of the aerobic recovery following a 0.5 sec tetanus at 20 degrees C of the sartorius muscle of the toad Bufo bufo, equilibrated in bicarbonate-CO(2) Ringer solution, has been followed by recording simultaneously the heat production and the fluorescence excited by ultra-violet light at 366 nm.2. The fluorescence light emitted in these conditions in the region of 450 nm monitors the state of oxidation-reduction of the nicotinamideadenine dinucleotides (NAD(+)-NADH). After a short tetanus, the cycle evoked consists of an initial increase of the fluorescence (reduction of NAD(+)) followed by a long lasting phase of decreased light emission. This includes an early period of oxidation of NADH succeeded by a slow reduction of the NAD(+) formed in excess over the resting state. After iodoacetate, the initial reduction is suppressed.3. The time course of both fluorescence and heat production may be analysed into a rapid and a slow component by a double exponential model.4. The time courses of the aerobic recovery heat and of the fluorescence changes are similar after five minutes, but differ in their fast components. IAA significantly increases the rate constants of the fast terms of both monitors.5. The slow component is mainly related to aerobic processes while the fast one is due to both oxidative and glycolytic reactions occurring simultaneously.

Chemical change and energy output during muscular contraction

1. The production of heat and (internal) work and the changes in the amount of phosphocreatine (PCr), ATP, inorganic phosphate (Pi) and sometimes lactate have been measured from moment to moment during and after tetanic isometric contractions of isolated frog muscles at 0 degrees C.2. Heat production was measured by thermopiles and a novel apparatus was employed for freezing the muscles rapidly at a chosen instant so as to halt the chemical processes before analysis.3. Using unpoisoned muscles in oxygen, it was shown that neither oxidative recovery processes nor glycolytic ones led to appreciable restitution of PCr or ATP during 15 sec of contraction. However, clear signs of recovery processes could be seen within a minute. In our preparations artificial ;ageing' by storage at low temperature did not interfere with the capacity for glycolysis.4. Our clearest result was that the break-down of PCr was not nearly large enough to account for the rapid heat production during the first few sec of contraction. By the end of a 15 sec tetanus as much as 10 mcal/g remained unaccounted for.5. The source of this heat is not clear. At no time is there any sign of net break-down of ATP; indeed there appears to be a slight increase of ATP in the stimulated muscle.6. Break-down of PCr continues both during relaxation and during the minute following, while the muscle is at rest. Thus during contraction there is heat production without PCr break-down, while subsequently there is PCr break-down without heat production.

The steps between depolarization and the increase in the respiration of frog skeletal muscle

1. For many years it has been known that when muscles are depolarized by raising [K(+)](out) there is an increase in respiration, even at levels of depolarization below the threshold for a detectable contracture.2. K(+)-stimulated respiration occurs in muscles in which protein synthesis is blocked with puromycin. Stimulation does not depend upon activation of phosphorylase kinase. In muscle poisoned with IIA and kept in N(2), depolarizations below the threshold for contracture cause a fall in creatine phosphate. Apparently an ATPase is activated by depolarization; the resulting ADP is probably the trigger for the increase in oxygen uptake.3. When the T-tubules are destroyed by the glycerol-osmotic shock method depolarization does not produce an increase in respiration.4. Caffeine is known to stimulate respiration at concentrations below the threshold for producing a contracture. Muscles that have been made refractory to stimulation by potassium are still stimulated by caffeine: the action of caffeine is not antagonized by an increase in extracellular Mg(2+). Caffeine must act on a later step in excitation-contraction coupling.5. K(+)-stimulated respiration ultimately depends on the presence of Ca(2+) in the Ringer. However, the Ca(2+) can be replaced by Ni(2+). It is known that Ni(2+) does not activate actomyosin. Ni(2+) is not sequestered by isolated fragments of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. It seems that the Ni(2+) or Ca(2+) in the extracellular solution is required for a superficial step in excitation-contraction coupling.6. Respiration is also often stimulated when muscles are placed in an isotonic sucrose solution, even though the fibres are hyperpolarized. A trace amount of Ca(2+) in the sucrose solution is probably necessary for the response.7. An interaction between Ca(2+) and a superficial membrane receptor appears to be an essential, early step in excitation-contraction coupling.

Effect of inhibitors and uncouplers on the Na pump of the Maia muscle fibre

1. A study has been made of sodium efflux from single muscle fibres of the crab Maia squinado, and of the effect of inhibitors and uncouplers on this efflux, using the microsyringe technique.2. (i) Externally applied ethacrynic acid or injected ethacrynic acid produces 50% inhibition. The inhibitory state due to externally applied ethacrynic acid is shown to be sensitive to 40 mM-K(+) in the bathing medium.(ii) Internally applied chlorpromazine causes 40% inhibition.(iii) Internally applied ethyl alcohol causes a slight increase or a slight decrease in Na efflux or no effect.(iv) Internally applied antimycin A produces a net inhibitory effect of almost 50%.(v) Internally applied rotenone produces a 60% inhibitory effect while fibres that fail to contract initially show about a 90% fall in efflux.(vi) The response pattern to internally applied oligomycin is similar to that of antimycin but the net inhibitory effect is only 25%.(vii) Internally applied atractylate produces 45% inhibition.(viii) Internally applied gramicidin A produces about 40% inhibition.(ix) Internally applied valinomycin is without an effect, but in the presence of 40 mM-K(+) in the external medium there is marked inhibition of Na efflux.3. The evidence put forward suggests that the Na pump of the Maia fibre is divided into two parts, one the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, driven by ATP and arginine phosphate (ArP), and the other, an electrogenic mechanism, driven by respiration and possibly direct coupling of glycolytic energy. The process of reverse electron flow can be invoked as a reasonable explanation of some of the observations made.