Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1982;329:465–483. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1982.sp014314

Temperature-dependence of shortening velocity and rate of isometric tension development in rat skeletal muscle

K W Ranatunga 1
PMCID: PMC1224791  PMID: 7143257

Abstract

1. The temperature-dependence of the maximum velocity of shortening and of the maximum rate of isometric tension development were examined in a rat fast twitch muscle, extensor digitorum longus (e.d.l.), and a slow twitch muscle, soleus, in vitro and with direct stimulation. The temperature range was 35-20 °C.

2. The maximum velocity of shortening and the maximum rate of tension development decreased with cooling in both muscles. The decrease was such that their logarithms were linearly related to the reciprocal of the absolute temperature over the temperature range of 35-20 °C in e.d.l. and 35-25 °C in soleus.

3. The calculated Arrhenius activation energy for maximum velocity of shortening was around 40-45 kJ in both muscles. The activation energies for maximum rate of tension development were 48 kJ in e.d.l. and 56 kJ in soleus. Similar analyses made on the time to peak and time to half-relaxation of the isometric twitch showed that their activation energies were higher, between 60-80 kJ, in both muscles.

4. The results are examined in relation to biochemical findings and discussed in relation to A. F. Huxley's (1957) cross-bridge theory.

Full text

PDF
468

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BULLER A. J., LEWIS D. M. THE RATE OF TENSION DEVELOPMENT IN ISOMETRIC TETANIC CONTRACTIONS OF MAMMALIAN FAST AND SLOW SKELETAL MUSCLE. J Physiol. 1965 Feb;176:337–354. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007554. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brust M. Fatigue and caffeine effects in fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles of the mouse. Pflugers Arch. 1976 Dec 28;367(2):189–200. doi: 10.1007/BF00585157. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buller A. J., Pope R. Plasticity in mammalian skeletal muscle. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1977 Apr 26;278(961):295–305. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1977.0043. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bárány M. ATPase activity of myosin correlated with speed of muscle shortening. J Gen Physiol. 1967 Jul;50(6 Suppl):197–218. doi: 10.1085/jgp.50.6.197. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. CLOSE R. DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF FAST AND SLOW SKELETAL MUSCLES OF THE RAT DURING DEVELOPMENT. J Physiol. 1964 Sep;173:74–95. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007444. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Close R. Dynamic properties of fast and slow skeletal muscles of the rat after nerve cross-union. J Physiol. 1969 Oct;204(2):331–346. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008916. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Close R., Hoh J. F. Influence of temperature on isometric contractions of rat skeletal muscles. Nature. 1968 Mar 23;217(5134):1179–1180. doi: 10.1038/2171179a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Close R. The relation between intrinsic speed of shortening and duration of the active state of muscle. J Physiol. 1965 Oct;180(3):542–559. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007716. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Crozier W. J. ON THE CRITICAL THERMAL INCREMENT FOR THE LOCOMOTION OF A DIPLOPOD. J Gen Physiol. 1924 Sep 20;7(1):123–136. doi: 10.1085/jgp.7.1.123. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HUXLEY A. F. Muscle structure and theories of contraction. Prog Biophys Biophys Chem. 1957;7:255–318. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Inesi G., Watanabe S. Temperature dependence of ATP hydrolysis and calcium uptake by fragmented sarcoplasmic membranes. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1967 Sep;121(3):665–671. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(67)90051-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. JEWELL B. R., WILKIE D. R. An analysis of the mechanical components in frog's striated muscle. J Physiol. 1958 Oct 31;143(3):515–540. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp006075. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Katz B. The relation between force and speed in muscular contraction. J Physiol. 1939 Jun 14;96(1):45–64. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1939.sp003756. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Krarup C. Temperature dependence of enhancement and diminution of tension evoked by staircase and by tetanus in rat muscle. J Physiol. 1981 Feb;311:373–387. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013590. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Levy H. M., Sharon N., Koshland D. E. PURIFIED MUSCLE PROTEINS AND THE WALKING RATE OF ANTS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1959 Jun;45(6):785–791. doi: 10.1073/pnas.45.6.785. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Ranatunga K. W. Changes produced by chronic denervation in the temperature-dependent isometric contractile characteristics of rat fast and slow twitch skeletal muscles. J Physiol. 1977 Dec;273(1):255–262. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp012092. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ranatunga K. W. Influence of temperature on isometric tension development in mouse fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscles. Exp Neurol. 1980 Nov;70(2):211–218. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(80)90021-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ranatunga K. W. Influence of temperature on the characteristics of summation of isometric mechanical responses of mammalian skeletal muscle. Exp Neurol. 1977 Mar;54(3):513–532. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(77)90254-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ranatunga K. W. Potentiation of the isometric twitch and mechanism of tension recruitment in mammalian skeletal muscle. Exp Neurol. 1979 Feb;63(2):266–276. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(79)90123-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sreter F. A. Temperature, pH and seasonal dependence of Ca-uptake and ATPase activity of white and red muscle microsomes. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1969 Oct;134(1):25–33. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(69)90246-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Stephenson D. G., Williams D. A. Calcium-activated force responses in fast- and slow-twitch skinned muscle fibres of the rat at different temperatures. J Physiol. 1981 Aug;317:281–302. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013825. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. WELLS J. B. COMPARISON OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES BETWEEN SLOW AND FAST MAMMALIAN MUSCLES. J Physiol. 1965 May;178:252–269. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007626. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES