Mechanical properties of muscle units in the cat diaphragm

1988 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1055-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fournier ◽  
G. C. Sieck

1. Muscle units in the right sternocostal region of the cat diaphragm (DIA) were isolated in situ by dissecting filaments of the C5 ventral root. Isometric contractile and fatigue properties of DIA units were then measured. Contractile properties included: twitch contraction time (CT), peak twitch tension (Pt), maximum tetanic tension (P0), and the frequency dependence of tension production. Muscle-unit fatigue resistance was estimated using a 2-min fatigue test. 2. DIA muscle units were classified as fast (F) or slow (S) based on the presence or absence of sag in their unfused tetanic force responses. Muscle-unit fatigue indices (FI) were used to further classify DIA units as slow-twitch fatigue-resistant (S), fast-twitch fatigue-resistant (FR) fast-twitch fatigue-intermediate (FInt), or fast-twitch fatigable (FF) types. 3. Based on a total of 47 completely characterized DIA muscle units, 21% were classified as S, 4% as FR, 28% as FInt, and 47% as FF. In contrast to the distribution of unit types in other mixed appendicular muscles, the DIA was composed of a very low proportion of FR units and a relatively high proportion of FInt units. An interval of FIs between 0.50 and 0.75 separated units into fatigue-resistant and fatigable groups. The distribution of FIs for FF and most FInt units was continuous, indicating that they formed a single fatigable group. Relatively few FF units in the DIA had FIs less than 0.10. 4. A wide range of contractile properties was observed for DIA muscle units. Type S units had longer CTs and lower Pt and P0 values than type F units. The mean Pt and P0 of FF and FInt units were comparable, whereas the mean Pt and P0 of the two FR units were lower. Type S units produced a greater proportion of their P0 at lower frequencies of activation than type F units. The lower P0S produced by type F units in the DIA indicated that they were smaller than similar units in appendicular muscles. It was concluded that in meeting most normal ventilatory requirements, adequate force could be generated by the recruitment of only type S and FR units. The recruitment of the more fatigable FF and FInt units may occur only during more forceful respiratory and nonrespiratory behaviors of the DIA.

1988 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 1198-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. R. Botterman ◽  
T. C. Cope

1. Through computer feedback control, muscle-unit tension was maintained by altering the stimulation rate of a functionally isolated motor axon. The required stimulation patterns and fatigue properties of motor units from the flexor carpi radialis (FCR), flexor digitorum longus (FDL), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles of the cat were studied when tension was maintained or "clamped" at a constant average level (25% of maximum tetanic tension). 2. In each muscle, two distinct stimulation patterns were observed during constant-tension contractions, one associated with slow-twitch units and the other with fast-twitch units. Once target tension was reached, slow-twitch units required fairly constant rates in order to maintain a constant force, whereas fast-twitch units displayed a marked decline in rate during the early phases of the contraction, averaging between 42 and 54% for the three muscles. The decline in rate most likely represented potentiation of the contractile response and slowing of contractile speed. In general, slow-twitch units responded with lower mean rates (approximately 14 pps less), averaged over the course of the contraction, than fast-twitch units. 3. For fast-twitch units of each muscle, resistance to fatigue varied continuously and over a wide range. The duration that tension could be maintained at 25% of maximum, defined as endurance time, ranged between 16 and 2063 s. No categorization of fast-twitch units into groups could be made on the basis of endurance time. Of the 5 slow-twitch units followed beyond 2700 s, only one failed to maintain tension during the observation period. 4. For hindlimb fast-twitch units, endurance was independent of the stimulation rate needed to maintain tension during the contraction. By contrast, there was a significant tendency for an inverse relation between endurance time and mean stimulation rate for FCR fast-twitch units. 5. Recovery of maximum tension was evaluated at 30 s, 1 min, 2 min, and 5 min following a constant-tension contraction. After a 5-min rest, fast-twitch units were able to produce an average of 80-85% of their maximum tetanic tension. By using the median endurance time (approximately 100 s) to divide the fast-twitch population into "low" and "high" endurance groups, recovery of tension was found not to be uniform among the two groups. High endurance units were able to recover a greater percentage of their original maximum tetanic tension. No difference was found between force recovery for low and high endurance units at 30 s.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (4) ◽  
pp. C805-C812 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Adams ◽  
M. J. Fisher ◽  
R. A. Meyer

Peak tetanic tension was measured during acidosis resulting from either hypercapnia or repetitive tetanic stimulation in isolated, arterially perfused cat biceps brachii (predominantly fast twitch) or soleus (slow twitch) muscles. Phosphocreatine (PCr), Pi, intracellular pH (pHi), and extracellular pH (pHo) were monitored by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. During repetitive stimulation under normocapnic conditions (5% CO2, pHo 7.4) Pi increased, pHi decreased from 7.1 to 6.3, and there were significant correlations between both pHi and calculated [H2PO4-] vs. peak tetanic force in both muscle types. However, hypercapnic perfusion (70% CO2, pHo, 6.7, pHi 6.4-6.5) had no effect on peak tetanic force, and there was no significant correlation between pHi or [H2PO4-] during hypercapnia in either muscle. The results indicate that decreased peak tetanic force during repetitive stimulation is not directly due to changes in pHi or diprotonated phosphate.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1917-1926 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. C. Sieck ◽  
M. Fournier

Fatigue-related changes in the waveform and root-mean-square (rms) values of evoked motor unit electromyographic (EMG) responses were studied in the right sternocostal region of the cat diaphragm. Motor units were isolated by microdissection and stimulation of C5 ventral root filaments and then classified as fast-twitch fatigable (FF), fast-twitch fatigue intermediate (FInt), fast-twitch fatigue resistant (FR), or slow-twitch (S) based on standard physiological criteria. The evoked EMG responses of S and FR units showed very little change during the fatigue test. The evoked EMG waveform and rms values of FF and FInt units displayed variable changes during the fatigue test. When changes were observed, they typically included a prolongation of the EMG waveform, a decrease in peak amplitude, and a decrease in rms value. The changes in EMG amplitude and rms values were not correlated. In more fatigable units, the decrease in force during the fatigue test generally exceeded the decrease in EMG rms values. Changes in the evoked force and EMG responses of multiple units innervated by C5 or C6 ventral roots were also examined during the fatigue test. The decrease in diaphragm force during the fatigue test closely matched the force decline predicted by the proportionate contribution of different motor unit types. However, the observed reduction in diaphragm EMG rms values during the fatigue test exceeded that predicted based on the aggregate contribution of different motor unit types. It was concluded that changes in EMG do not reflect the extent of diaphragm fatigue.


Author(s):  
Jiayu Shi ◽  
Daiki Watanabe ◽  
Masanobu Wada

This study was conducted to examine the effects of an acute bout of vigorous isometric contractions on titin stiffness-related contractile properties in rat fast-twitch skeletal muscles. Intact gastrocnemius muscles were electrically stimulated in situ until the force was reduced to ~50% of the initial force. Immediately after cessation of the stimulation, the superficial regions of the muscles were dissected and subjected to biochemical and skinned fiber analyses. The stimulation resulted in a decrease in the titin-based passive force. The amounts of fragmented titin were unchanged by the stimulation. Protein kinase Cα-treatment increased the passive force in stimulated fibers to resting levels. The stimulation had no effect on the maximum Ca2+-activated force (max Ca2+ force) at a sarcomere length (SL) of 2.4 μm and decreased myofibrillar (my)-Ca2+ sensitivity at 2.6-μm SL. Stretching the SL to 3.0 μm led to the augmentation of the max Ca2+ force and my-Ca2+ sensitivity in both rested and stimulated fibers. For the max Ca2+ force, the extent of the increase was smaller in stimulated than in rested fibers, whereas for my-Ca2+ sensitivity, it was higher in stimulated than in rested fibers. These results suggest that vigorous isometric contractions decrease the titin-based passive force, possibly because of a reduction in phosphorylation by protein kinase Cα, and that the decreased titin stiffness may contribute, at least in part, to muscle fatigue.


1985 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 916-923 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Fitts ◽  
C. J. Brimmer

Contractile properties of slow-twitch soleus (SOL), fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and fast-twitch superficial region of the vastus lateralis were determined in vitro (22 degrees C) in rats remobilized after prolonged (3 mo) hindlimb immobilization (IM). For all muscles the muscle-to-body weight ratio was significantly depressed by IM, and the ratios failed to completely recover even after 90 days. The contractile properties of the fast-twitch muscles were less affected by IM than the slow-twitch SOL. The IM shortened the SOL isometric twitch duration due to a reduced contraction and half-relaxation time. These parameters returned to control levels by the 14th day of recovery. Peak tetanic tension (Po, g/cm2) declined with IM by 46% in the SOL but showed no significant change in the fast-twitch muscles. After IM the SOL Po (g/cm2) recovered to control values by 28 days. The recovery of Po in absolute units (g) was considerably slower and did not return to control levels until 60 (SOL) to 90 (EDL) days. The maximum shortening velocity was not altered by IM in any of the muscles studied. These results demonstrate that both fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscles possess the ability to completely recover normal contractile function following prolonged periods of hindlimb IM.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (3) ◽  
pp. C426-C432 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Whitlock ◽  
R. L. Terjung

Rat slow-twitch muscle, in contrast to fast-twitch muscle, maintains its ATP content near normal during intense stimulation conditions that produce rapid fatigue. An extensive depletion of adenine nucleotide content by the deamination of AMP to IMP + NH3, typical of fast-twitch muscle, does not occur. We evaluated whether this response of slow-twitch muscle could be simply due to failure of synaptic transmission or related to cellular conditions influencing enzyme activity. Stimulation of soleus muscles in situ via the nerve or directly in the presence of curare at 120 tetani/min for 3 min resulted in extensive fatigue but normal ATP contents. Thus the lack of ATP depletion must be related to cellular events distal to neuromuscular transmission. Even nerve and direct muscle stimulation (with curare) during ischemia did not cause a large depletion of ATP or a large elevation of lactate content (12.0 +/- 0.7 mumol/g), even though the decline in tension was essentially complete. However, if the same tension decline during ischemia was prolonged by stimulating for 10 min at 12 tetani/min a large decrease in ATP (2.24 +/- 0.09 mumol/g) and increase in IMP (2.47 +/- 0.16 mumol/g) and lactate (30.4 +/- 2.0 mumol/g) content occurred. Thus adenine nucleotide deamination to IMP can occur in slow-twitch muscle during specific contraction conditions. The cellular events leading to the activation of AMP deaminase require an intense contraction condition and may be related to acidosis caused by a high lactate content.


2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1405-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Hurst ◽  
R. H. Fitts

The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of isometric exercise (IE) as a countermeasure to hindlimb unloading (HU)-induced atrophy of the slow (soleus) and fast (plantaris and gastrocnemius) muscles. Rats were assigned to either weight-bearing control, 7-day HU (H7), H7 plus IE (I7), 14-day HU (H14), or H14 plus IE (I14) groups. IE consisted of ten 5-s maximal isometric contractions separated by 90 s, administered three times daily. Contractile properties of the soleus and plantaris muscles were measured in situ. The IE attenuated the HU-induced decline in the mass and fiber diameter of the slow-twitch soleus muscle, whereas the gastrocnemius and plantaris mass were not protected. These results are consistent with the mean electromyograph recordings during IE that indicated preferential recruitment of the soleus over the gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles. Functionally, the IE significantly protected the soleus from the HU-induced decline in peak isometric force (I14, 1.49 ± 0.12 vs. H14, 1.15 ± 0.07 N) and peak power (I14, 163 ± 17 vs. H14, 75 ± 11 mN·fiber length·s-1). The exercise protocol showed protection of the plantaris peak isometric force at H7 but not H14. The IE also prevented the HU-induced decline in the soleus isometric contraction time, which allowed the muscle to produce greater tension at physiological motoneuron firing frequencies. In summary, IE resulted in greater protection from HU-induced atrophy in the slow soleus than in the fast gastrocnemius or plantaris.


2003 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivienne Chuter ◽  
Craig Payne ◽  
Kathryn Miller

Neutral-position casting of the foot is used for the manufacture of functional foot orthoses, and an accurate cast is widely assumed to be a prerequisite for a good orthotic device. The primary aim of this study was to determine the variability of casting between inexperienced and experienced clinicians and the variability of one experienced clinician taking multiple casts. Ten inexperienced and ten experienced clinicians took a cast of the right foot of a single subject, and a single experienced clinician took ten casts of the same foot. The frontal plane forefoot-to-rearfoot relationship of each cast was determined, and no difference was found in the mean and variances among the three groups. The range of the forefoot-to-rearfoot relationship across all groups was from 10.0° everted to 6.5° inverted, indicating that there is a wide range in neutral-position casting of the foot. As outcome studies have reported the successful outcomes of functional foot orthoses, this wide variability may not necessarily be a problem. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 93(1): 1-5, 2003)


The denervated slow twitch rat soleus muscle was stimulated electrically for 3-6 weeks with brief trains of stimuli at 100 Hz or long trains at 10 Hz. In both cases the mean stimulation frequency was 2 Hz. Muscles stimulated at 100 Hz acquired several properties characteristic of fast muscle, whereas muscles stimulated at 10 Hz remained slow. The results demonstrate the importance of pattern of muscle activity in determining the contractile properties of muscle.


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