Effects of hydrostatic pressure on fatiguing frog muscle fibres

Summary

Effects of increased hydrostatic pressure (range 0.1–10 MPa) on isometric twitch and tetanic contractions of single, intact, frog muscle fibres were examined at 4, 11 and 21°C and at different stages of fatigue. Twitch tension was potentiated by pressure at all temperatures, but the extent of potentiation was more pronounced at higher temperatures (34% MPa^-1 at 21°C, compared to 8% MPa^-1 at 4°C). Tetanic tension was depressed by pressure at 4°C (∼0.7% MPa^-1) but was potentiated by pressure at 21°C (∼0.4% MPa^-1). The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the tetanic tension was dependent on the fatigue status of the muscle fibre: during the early stages of fatigue (when tetanic tension was depressed by <20%), high pressure produced a tension depression (as in an unfatigued muscle fibre), whilst during the later stages of fatigue high pressure induced a significant potentiation of tetanic tension. Our results support the suggestion that excitation-contraction coupling and contractile activation are impaired during late fatigue. Pressure-effects were basically similar to caffeine-effects under a variety of conditions, suggesting that an enhancement of Ca²⁺ release may be contributory to potentiation of twitch tension and, in severely, fatigued muscle, potentiation of tetanic tension. In the rested state and during early fatigue the main effect of pressure is an inhibition of the crossbridge cycle.