Adaptations in the Muscle Cell to Training: Role of the Na+-K+-Atpase

The plasticity of skeletal muscle is evident following the onset of regular contractile activity where extensive adaptations can be observed at all levels of organization. Among the properties subject to altered regulation is the Na+-K+-ATPase, an integral membrane protein distributed throughout the sarcolemma and t-tubule, which functions to maintain high Na+ and K+ transmembrane gradients. This protein is uniquely positioned to control muscle excitation and contraction processes, metabolic flux rates, and contractility. Pronounced and rapid upregulation in the Na+-K+-ATPase content can be observed within the first days of exercise and well before the other major ATPase proteins involved in Ca2+ and actomyosin cycling. Moreover, the Na+-K+-ATPase is subject to complex messenger regulation, involved both in the accommodation and the adaptive responses to contractile activity. This emphasizes that adaptive responses can be mediated soon after the onset of training and may have profound affects on muscle contractility and other cellular adaptations. Key Words: muscle, strain, exercise, adaptation, accommodation