Pflügers Archiv

, Volume 416, Issue 1–2, pp 126–129 | Cite as

Immobilization atrophy and membrane properties in rat skeletal muscle fibres

  • H. Zemková
  • J. Teisinger
  • R. R. Almon
  • R. Vejsada
  • P. Hník
  • F. Vyskočil
Excitable Tissues and Central Nervous Physiology
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Wet mass, resting membrane potential, frequency of miniature end-plate potentials and the concentration of [3H]ouabain-binding sites were studied after 7 days' immobilization of the rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in the shortened or stretched position and after 3 and 7 days of remobilization. We observed that the loss of muscle mass by 37% in the rat soleus immobilized for 7 days in the shortened position is accompanied by a membrane depolarization of about 5 mV, a decrease in frequency of miniature end-plate potentials by 60 % and a decrease of [3H]ouabain binding by 25%. Only minor changes were found in stretched soleus and in shortened and stretched EDL. After 3 days of remobilization of stretched soleus the muscle mass, [3H]ouabain binding and miniature end-plate potential frequency recovered to control values but the resting membrane potential continued to decrease. All changes induced by immobilization disappeared on day 7 of remobilization.

Key words

Rat soleus Rat extensor digitorum longus Immobilization 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • H. Zemková
    • 1
  • J. Teisinger
    • 2
  • R. R. Almon
    • 3
  • R. Vejsada
    • 1
  • P. Hník
    • 1
  • F. Vyskočil
    • 1
  1. 1.Institute of PhysiologyCzechoslovak Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czechoslovakia
  2. 2.Institute of Hygiene and EpidemiologyPrague 10Czechoslovakia
  3. 3.Faculty of Natural SciencesUniversity of BuffaloBuffaloUSA

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