Indentations in the terminal cisternae of slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers from normal and paraplegic rats

Adaptations in metabolic capacity of rat soleus after paralysis

To determine whether long-term reductions in neuromuscular activity result in alterations in metabolic capacity, the activities of oxidative, i.e., succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and citrate synthase (CS), and glycolytic, i.e., α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPD), enzyme markers were quantified in rat soleus muscles 1, 3, and 6 mo after a complete spinal cord transection (ST). In addition, the proportional content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isozymes was used as a marker for oxidative and glycolytic capacities. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform content of a fiber served as a marker of phenotype. In general, MHC isoforms shifted from MHC1 toward MHC2, particularly MHC2x, after ST. Mean SDH and CS activities were higher in ST than control at all time points. The elevated SDH and CS activities were indicative of an enhanced oxidative capacity. GPD activities were higher in ST than control rats at all time points. The increase in activity of SDH was larger than GPD. Thus the GPD-to-SDH (glycolytic-to-oxidative) ratio was decreased after ST. Compared with controls, total LDH activity increased transiently, and the LDH isozyme profile shifted from LDH-1 toward LDH-5, indicative of an enhanced glycolytic capacity. Combined, these results indicate that 1) the metabolic capacities of soleus fibers were not compromised, but the interrelationships among oxidative and glycolytic capacity and MHC content were apparently dissociated after ST; 2) enhancements in oxidative and glycolytic enzyme activities are not mutually exclusive; and 3) chronic reductions in skeletal muscle activity do not necessarily result in a reduced oxidative capacity.

Mechanical properties of rat soleus after long-term spinal cord transection

The effects of a complete spinal cord transection (ST) on the mechanical properties of the rat soleus were assessed 3 and 6 mo post-ST and compared with age-matched controls. Maximal tetanic force was reduced by approximately 44 and approximately 25% at 3 and 6 mo post-ST, respectively. Similarly, maximum twitch force was reduced by approximately 29% in 3-mo and approximately 17% in 6-mo ST rats. ST resulted in faster twitch properties as evidenced by shorter time to peak tension (approximately 45%) and half-relaxation time (approximately 55%) at both time points. Maximum shortening velocity was significantly increased in ST rats whether measured by extrapolation from the force-velocity curve (approximately twofold at both time points) or by slack-test measurements (over twofold at both time points). A significant reduction in fatigue resistance of the soleus was observed at 3 (approximately 25%) and 6 mo (approximately 45%) post-ST. For the majority of the speed-related properties, no significant differences were detected between 3- and 6-mo ST rats. However, the fatigue resistance of the soleus was significantly lower in 6- vs. 3-mo ST rats. These data suggest that, between 3 and 6 mo post-ST, force-related properties tended to recover, speed-related properties plateaued, and fatigue-related properties continued to decline. Thus some specific functional properties of the rat soleus related to contractile force, speed, and fatigue adapted independently after ST.

Rods in the terminal cisternae of skeletal muscle

The purpose of the study was to investigate rod-like structures (rods) in the terminal cisternae membrane of freeze fracture replicas of fast- and slow-twitch mammalian muscle. The 9 X 50 nm rods crossed the junctional gap perpendicular to the T-tubule membrane and terminated near indentations. Rods are likely to have a structural basis because (1) grooves were seen in the complimentary membrane leaflet, (2) rods were seen in tissue fixed in 0.5, 5, or 6% glutaraldehyde or 5% acrolein, (3) rods were seen in tissue fractured over a range of temperatures from -40 to -196 degrees C, (4) the number of rods was correlated with the contractile properties of fibers, and (5) the density of rods increased when fibers were depolarized before fixation. The rods are in a unique location that would allow them to participate in excitation-contraction coupling, perhaps by transmitting an electrical signal from the T-tubule membrane to calcium release sites in the terminal cisternae.

A freeze-fracture study of extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscle fibers from thyrotoxic rats

Freeze-fracture methods were used to study the sarcoplasmic reticulum and surface membranes in muscles from rats after chronic administration of triiodothyronine (150 micrograms/kg daily, for 1 to 20 days). The major effect of the hormone on the sarcoplasmic reticulum was to increase the numbers of indentations in the terminal cisternae in parallel with an increase in the speed of the isometric twitch. The indentations increased from 7.3 +/- 0.2 to 10.6 +/- 0.1 (mean +/- 1 SEM)/micron of terminal cisternae in the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and from 0.9 +/- 0.1 to 4.4 +/- 0.1/micron in slow-twitch soleus fibers. The increase in indentation density in both types of muscle occurred within 10 days of the commencement of hormone injection. During the same period there was a small reduction in the density of intramembrane particles in the plasmalemma and a significant increase in the number of caveolae, from 14.6 +/- 0.25 to 20.4 +/- 0.3/micron2 in EDL fibers, and from 22.9 +/- 0.3 to 28.6 +/- 0.3/micron2 in soleus. The increase in caveolae density was coincident with an increase in the area of T-tubule membrane. The results provide further evidence that the indentations in the terminal cisternae play a functional role in muscle activation and that the caveolae are the surface openings of transverse tubules.

Excitation-contraction coupling and charge movement in denervated rat extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles

K contractures and asymmetrical charge movement were recorded in extensor digitorum longus (e.d.l.) and soleus muscles that had been denervated for 2-68 days. The relationship between maximum tension during a K contracture and membrane potential shifted to more negative potentials in denervated e.d.l. muscles (by -25 mV on average) and to a lesser extent in soleus (by -8 mV on average), and became steeper, more so in e.d.l. than soleus. Apart from an early negative shift of -11 mV in the voltage dependence of tension in e.d.l. muscles during the first week, the other changes in K contractures following denervation occurred progressively during the first 3 weeks and then stabilized. There was a clear difference in charge movement in denervated e.d.l. fibres but little change in denervated soleus fibres, so that the characteristics of charge movement in e.d.l. and soleus became very similar. The maximum amount of charge movement fell from an average normal value of 23 nC/microF to 6 nC/microF in e.d.l. within the first 2 weeks. The voltage sensitivity shifted to more negative potentials (by about -12 mV on average) within the first week. There was no significant change in the slope of the relationship between charge and membrane potential. The effects of denervation on charge movement could only partly explain the changes in K contractures. The only obvious parallels were the early negative shift in the voltage dependence of charge movement and tension in denervated e.d.l. fibres. The other changes in K contractures in denervated fibres could be due to a change in the relationship between charge movement and Ca concentration in the myoplasm or an increase in the Ca affinity of the myofilaments. Although charge movement fell to about a quarter of normal in denervated e.d.l. fibres, membrane capacity increased approximately 3-fold. A similar increase in capacity in soleus fibres was not associated with a change in charge movement. Fewer indentations were seen in denervated than in normal e.d.l. fibres. The decrease paralleled the fall in charge movement.

Indentations in the terminal cisternae of denervated rat EDL and soleus muscle fibers

The effects of denervation on the structure of the triad and longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum have been investigated in freeze-fracture replicas of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus fibers that had been denervated for 2 to 70 days. In EDL fibers the density of indentations along 1 micron of terminal cisternae fell during the first 2 weeks after nerve section, from a normal value of 7.3 +/- 0.2 (mean +/- 1 SEM) to an average value of 2.0 +/- 0.5 in fibers denervated for 16 to 17 days. Denervation did not change the numbers of indentations in soleus fibers. There was a significant change in the orientation of the triads and organization of the longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum in denervated EDL and soleus fibers. The effect of denervation on the density of indentations was best correlated with the effect on asymmetric charge movement, when indentation density was compared with twitch contraction time, the voltage sensitivity of tension, and charge movement. The close relationship between indentation density and charge movement provides compelling evidence for a functional link between the two during excitation-contraction coupling.

Indentations in the terminal cisternae of amphibian and mammalian skeletal muscle fibers

Indentations (hillocks and dimples) in the terminal cisternae of mammalian and amphibian skeletal muscle fibers were studied using freeze-fracture and serial thin-section techniques. The structures were seen in all muscles and had a regular separation from each other and from the T-tubule. Indentations were smaller than fenestrations and formed concavities in, but not macromolecular pores through, the terminal cisternae. The average numbers of indentations in rat muscles (measured along the length of the terminal cisternae, within 150 nm of the triadic junction) varied from 0.9 per micrometer in soleus fibers to 9.6 per micrometer in posterior cricoarytenoid fibers. The average numbers in amphibian sartorius fibers varied from 1.6 to 3.6 per micrometer in muscles from different species. The regular alignment of the indentations along the triad, as well as a close correlation between their numbers and the contractile properties of the muscle, suggest that they function in contractile activation and may represent sites of calcium release from the terminal cisternae.