Effects of fatigue and reduced intracellular pH on segment dynamics in 'isometric' relaxation of frog muscle fibres

Abstract

1. Longitudinal movements of marked segments of single fibres from the anterior tibialis muscle were recorded during tetanus and relaxation under isometric (fixed-end) conditions. 2. During relaxation, shortening and lengthening of different segments occurred simultaneously, starting at about the same time as the end of the linear fall of force (shoulder on the force record). 3. Variations in intracellular pH, measured with pH-sensitive microelectrodes, along the length of fibres were not statistically significant, and are unlikely to be responsible for the non-uniform behaviour of different segments. 4. As expected from earlier studies, both fatigue (produced by increasing tetanus duration or decreasing the time between tetani) and intracellular acidification (produced by raised extracellular CO2), reduced the tetanus force and prolonged the linear phase of force decline in relaxation. Each treatment delayed the start and markedly reduced the amount of segment movement in relaxation. 5. Fatigue and intracellular acidification have a smaller effect on force during stretching than on force produced under isometric conditions. This may contribute to making the segments behave in a more uniform way during relaxation under these conditions. 6. Changes in the Ca2+ uptake mechanisms are also discussed as possible causes for the changes in segment behaviour in relaxation.