Effect of extracellular Po 2 on the fall in intracellular Po 2 in contracting single myocytes

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effects of altered extracellular Po 2 (Pe O2 ) on the intracellular Po 2(Pi O2 ) response to contractions in single skeletal muscle cells. Single myocytes ( n = 12) were dissected from lumbrical muscles of adult female Xenopus laevis and injected with 0.5 mM Pd- meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine for assessment of Pi O2 via phosphorescence quenching. At a Pe O2 of ∼20 (low), ∼40 (moderate), and ∼60 (high) Torr, tetanic contractions were induced at a frequency of 0.67 Hz for ∼2 min with a 5-min recovery between bouts (blocked order design). The Pi O2 response to contractions was characterized by a time delay followed by a monoexponential decline to steady-state (SS) values. The fall in Pi O2 to SS values was significantly greater at each progressively greater Pe O2 (all P < 0.05). The mean response time (time delay + time constant) was significantly faster in the low (35.2 ± 5.1 s; P < 0.05 vs. high) and moderate (43.3 ± 6.4 s; P < 0.05 vs. high) compared with high Pe O2 (61.8 ± 9.4 s) and was correlated positively ( r = 0.965) with the net fall in Pi O2 . However, the initial rate of change of Pi O2 (calculated as net fall in Pi O2 /time constant) was not different ( P > 0.05) among Pe O2 trials. These latter data suggest that, over the range of 20–60 Torr, Pe O2 does not play a deterministic role in setting the initial metabolic response to contractions in isolated frog myocytes. Additionally, these results suggest that oxidative phosphorylation in these myoglobin-free myocytes may be compromised by Pe O2 at values nearing 60 Torr.