title: Non-cross-bridge calcium-dependent stiffness in frog muscle fibers.
abstract: At the end of the force transient elicited by a fast stretch applied to an activated frog muscle fiber, the force settles to a steady level exceeding the isometric level preceding the stretch. We showed previously that this excess of tension, referred to as "static tension," is due to the elongation of some elastic sarcomere structure, outside the cross bridges. The stiffness of this structure, "static stiffness," increased upon stimulation following a time course well distinct from tension and roughly similar to intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. In the experiments reported here, we investigated the possible role of Ca(2+) in static stiffness by comparing static stiffness measurements in the presence of Ca(2+) release inhibitors (D600, Dantrolene, (2)H(2)O) and cross-bridge formation inhibitors [2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM), hypertonicity]. Both series of agents inhibited tension; however, only D600, Dantrolene, and (2)H(2)O decreased at the same time static stiffness, whereas BDM and hypertonicity left static stiffness unaltered. These results indicate that Ca(2+), in addition to promoting cross-bridge formation, increases the stiffness of an (unidentified) elastic structure of the sarcomere. This stiffness increase may help in maintaining the sarcomere length uniformity under conditions of instability.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50134 Florence, Italy. mangela.bagni@unifi.it
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bagni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colombini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berlinguer Palmini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cecchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000494:pharmacology; D017666:Deuterium Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003931:Diacetyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004548:Elasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D005711:Gallopamil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011893:Rana esculenta; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; C004717:diacetylmonoxime; D005711:Gallopamil; D003620:Dantrolene; D017666:Deuterium Oxide; D003931:Diacetyl; D002118:Calcium