Stiffness of frog muscle fibres during rise of tension and relaxation in fixed-end or length-clamped tetani

Abstract

Stiffness measurements were performed during the rise, the plateau and the relaxation of tetanic contractions both in whole single muscle fibres and in tendon-free fibre segments under either fixed-end or length-clamp conditions. Fibres were isolated from the tibialis anterior muscle of the frog. Experiments were performed at 2-6 degrees C. Changes in length of tendon-free fibre segments were monitored by means of a "striation follower", an opto-electronic device which, during contraction, measured sarcomere displacement at the level of two selected regions of a fibre. Fast length perturbations imposed at one tendon end of a fibre during the plateau of tetanic contractions distribute uniformly along its length. During the tetanus rise stiffness led isometric tension in whole fibres under fixed conditions as well as in tendon-free fibre segments under length-clamp conditions. It was confirmed that a significant part of the unlinearity of T1 relations is determined by tendon compliance. During the isometric phase of relaxation in fixed-end tetani, the decline of tension led that of stiffness both in whole fibres and in tendon-free fibre segments. It is concluded that the shift observed between stiffness and tension during tetanus rise and relaxation represents a true specific event in the contractile process.