Does myoglobin contribute significantly to diffusion of oxygen in red skeletal muscle?

Abstract

We have examined the role of myoglobin to facilitate O2 diffusion to active mitochondria in skeletal muscle by constructing computer-simulation experiments. Steady-state mitochondrial O2 consumption under different conditions of supply partial pressure of O2 (PO2) in a system with and without myoglobin were examined for a one-dimensional slab of tissue. O2 consumption by mitochondria was saturable with the mitochondria located in bands at uniform intervals throughout the tissue. Under these conditions, myoglobin provides a measurable increase in O2 transport for supply PO2 below 10 Torr and diffusion lengths expected for skeletal muscle fibers. We conclude that under circumstances where hypoxia lowers PO2 below 10 Torr that myoglobin begins to provide a measurable increase in O2 delivery to mitochondria.