title: Role of extracellular [Ca2+] in fatigue of isolated mammalian skeletal muscle.
abstract: The possible role of altered extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) in skeletal muscle fatigue was tested on isolated slow-twitch soleus and fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus muscles of the mouse. The following findings were made. 1) A change from the control solution (1.3 mM [Ca2+]o) to 10 mM [Ca2+]o, or to nominally Ca2+-free solutions, had little effect on tetanic force in nonfatigued muscle. 2) Almost complete restoration of tetanic force was induced by 10 mM [Ca2+]o in severely K+-depressed muscle (extracellular K+ concentration of 10-12 mM). This effect was attributed to a 5-mV reversal of the K+-induced depolarization and subsequent restoration of ability to generate action potentials (inferred by using the twitch force-stimulation strength relationship). 3) Tetanic force depressed by lowered extracellular Na+ concentration (40 mM) was further reduced with 10 mM [Ca2+]o. 4) Tetanic force loss at elevated extracellular K+ concentration (8 mM) and lowered extracellular Na+ concentration (100 mM) was partially reversed with 10 mM [Ca2+]o or markedly exacerbated with low [Ca2+]o. 5) Fatigue induced by using repeated tetani in soleus was attenuated at 10 mM [Ca2+]o (due to increased resting and evoked forces) and exacerbated at low [Ca2+]o. These combined results suggest, first, that raised [Ca2+]o protects against fatigue rather than inducing it and, second, that a considerable depletion of [Ca2+]o in the transverse tubules may contribute to fatigue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Cairns
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Hing
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Slack
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Loiselle
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium