In situ rat fast skeletal muscle is more efficient at submaximal than at maximal activation levels

2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 2089-2096 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Abbate ◽  
C. J. De Ruiter ◽  
C. Offringa ◽  
A. J. Sargeant ◽  
A. De Haan
Keyword(s):  
Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
Chemical Change ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
High Energy Phosphate ◽  
Energy Turnover ◽  
Maximal Activation ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

The influence of stimulation frequency on efficiency (= total work output/high-energy phosphate consumption) was studied using in situ medial gastrocnemius muscle tendon complexes of the rat. The muscles performed 20 repeated concentric contractions (2/s) at 34°C. During these repeated contractions, the muscle was stimulated via the severed sciatic nerve with either 60, 90, or 150 Hz. The muscle was freeze-clamped immediately after these contractions, and high-energy phosphate consumption was determined by measuring intramuscular chemical change relative to control muscles. The average values (±SD) of efficiency calculated for 60, 90, and 150 Hz were 18.5 ± 1.5 ( n = 7), 18.6 ± 1.5 ( n = 9), and 14.7 ± 1.3 mJ/μmol phosphate ( n = 9). The results indicate that the efficiency of the muscles that were submaximally activated (60 or 90 Hz) was higher (+26%, P < 0.05) than that of those maximally activated (150 Hz). Additional experiments showed that the low efficiency at maximal activation levels is unlikely to be the result of a higher energy turnover by the Ca2+-ATPase relative to the total energy turnover. Therefore, alternative explanations are discussed.

Efficiency of rat medial gastrocnemius muscle in contractions with and without an active prestretch

1989 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
pp. 327-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. De Haan ◽  
G. J. Van Ingen Schenau ◽  
G. J. Ettema ◽  
P. A. Huijing ◽  
M. A. Lodder
Keyword(s):  
Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Stimulation Protocol ◽  
High Energy Phosphate ◽  
Concentric Contractions ◽  
Work Done ◽  
Positive Work ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

The efficiency of positive work was measured for rat medial gastrocnemius muscle at 25 degrees C during repeated contractions. Six muscles were stimulated to perform concentric contractions preceded by an active prestretch (PS contractions) and six muscles made to give concentric contractions from an isometric state (PI contractions). Both lengthening and shortening of the muscles (distance: 6 mm) occurred at a constant velocity of 20 mm s-1 (1.5 fibre lengths s-1). Stimulation was started 150 ms prior to the onset of concentric contraction for both types of contraction. For the PS contractions this meant that the active state was developed during the last 2.4 mm of the lengthening. Energy consumption (calculated from high-energy phosphate consumption) appeared to be equal for both types of contraction, although positive work output was 39.4% higher in the PS contractions than in the PI contractions. The efficiency of positive work was 36.8 +/− 3.5% in the PS contractions and 26 +/− 2.0% in the PI contractions. In contrast to results of previous studies, the positive work done by the muscle in the PS contractions was much larger than the negative work done on the muscle during stretch owing to the applied stimulation protocol which was intended to simulate in vivo conditions during running. The efficiency of positive work in the PS contractions is too low to explain the efficiencies of 40–70% reported for human and animal running.

In vivo IIX and IIB fiber recruitment in gastrocnemius muscle of the rat is compartment related

1996 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 933-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. De Ruiter ◽  
P. E. Habets ◽  
A. de Haan ◽  
A. J. Sargeant
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
Periodic Acid ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Periodic Acid Schiff ◽  
Fast Twitch ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
Stimulation Of

The purpose of the present study was to investigate to what extent fast-twitch IIX and IIB fiber recruitment was related to the natural existing muscle compartments (subvolumes of muscle innervated by different primary nerve branches) in rat medial gastrocnemius. Three groups (n = 6) of rats trotted on a motor-driven treadmill (20 degrees incline) at different speeds. A fourth group served as controls, and a fifth group received in situ electrical stimulation of all medial gastrocnemius muscle fibers. Postexercise glycogen levels (periodic acid-Schiff staining intensities) were made. Running caused more and in situ stimulation caused less glycogen breakdown in the proximal IIX and IIB fibers compared with the fibers of the same type in the most distal compartment. Furthermore, the boundaries of the most distal compartment could often be recognized in the periodic acid-Schiff-stained cross sections. It was concluded that during running the proximal IIX and IIB fibers were recruited to a greater extent (and at lower treadmill speeds) compared with the distal IIX and IIB fibers, respectively.

The effect of long-term immobilization on the motor unit population of the cat medial gastrocnemius muscle

Neuroscience ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 725-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.F. Mayer ◽  
R.E. Burke ◽  
J. Toop ◽  
J.A. Hodgson ◽  
K. Kanda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Unit ◽  
Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

Voluntary control of forward leaning posture relates to low-frequency neural inputs to the medial gastrocnemius muscle

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 187-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsunori Watanabe ◽  
Ippei Nojima ◽  
Hideshi Sugiura ◽  
Basma Yacoubi ◽  
Evangelos A. Christou
Keyword(s):  
Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Voluntary Control ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

Activity and motor unit size in partially denervated rat medial gastrocnemius

1994 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 2663-2671 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Einsiedel ◽  
A. R. Luff
Keyword(s):  
Motor Unit ◽  
Gastrocnemius Muscle ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Ventral Root ◽  
Treadmill Walking ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Unit Size ◽  
Partial Denervation ◽  
Motoneuron Activity ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

The aim of the study was to determine whether increased motoneuron activity induced by treadmill walking would alter the extent of motoneuron sprouting in the partially denervated rat medial gastrocnemius muscle. An extensive partial denervation was effected by unilateral section of the L5 ventral root, and it is very likely that all units remaining in the medial gastrocnemius were used in treadmill walking. Rats were trained for 1.5 h/day and after 14 days were walking at least 1 km/day. Motor unit characteristics were determined 24 days after the partial denervation and were compared with units from partially denervated control (PDC) animals and with units from normal (control) animals. In PDC rats, force developed by slow, fast fatigue-resistant, and fast intermediate-fatigable motor units increased substantially compared with control animals; that of fast-fatigable units did not increase. In partially denervated exercised animals, force developed by slow and fast-fatigue-resistant units showed no further increase, but fast-intermediate- and fast-fatigable units showed significant increases compared with those in PDC animals. The changes in force were closely paralleled by changes in innervation ratios. We concluded that neuronal activity is an important factor in determining the rate of motoneuron sprouting.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document