Table 7.

Thermodynamic degree of coupling (q) and optimal efficiency (η_opt) of the oxidative phosphorylation in gastrocnemius isolated mitochondria from pair-fed (PF), control (CON) and dexamethasone (DEX)-treated rats. (Values expressed as mean ± standard deviation for eight rats per group)

Respiratory substrates	Parameters	DEX-treated	PF	CON	ANOVA
Pyruvate + malate	q	0.966 ± 0.011	0.972 ± 0.016	0.972 ± 0.011	NS
	ηopt	0.593 ± 0.059	0.635 ± 0.089	0.628 ± 0.059	NS
Succinate	q	0.889 ± 0.039	0.880 ± 0.052	0.887 ± 0.036	NS
	ηopt	0.400 ± 0.076	0.374 ± 0.105	0.377 ± 0.064	NS
Ascorbate/TMPD	q	0.749 ± 0.073	0.713 ± 0.025	0.774 ± 0.050	NS
	ηopt	0.214 ± 0.083	0.176 ± 0.017	0.229 ± 0.051	NS

NS: not significant.

For details of procedures see materials and methods section.