Abstract
Fast and slow muscle fibers were isolated from the myotomes of atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) and sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius L.). Epinephrine was found to have no effect on twitch or sub-tetanic contractions in fast muscle fibres. Isoprenaline (10−6M) had no effect on the contractility of slow muscle fibres. In contrast, epinephrine elicited a dose-dependent decrease in the half-time for twitch relaxation (t1/2r), and in most cases a decrease in twitch amplitude. The maximum decrease in t1/2r was around 5–20% of control values (at 10−6M epinephrine), with a half maximal response at about 30 nmol l−1. Responses to epinephrine were unaffected by propranolol and reversed by phentolamine, consistent with the stimulation of α-adrenoreceptors. 10−6M epinephrine produced a rise in cAMP levels from 1.8 to 3.1 pmol mg dry wt−1 in cod slow fibres. However, the cellular mechanism underlying the action of epinephrine is unclear since forskolin, a potent activator of adenylate cyclase activity, where it has been investigated, was found to increase not decrease twitch duration and amplitude. The responses of fast and slow fibres to epinephrine and its antagonists were similar in summer (13°C) and winter acclimatized (5–6°C) sculpin.
It is suggested that epinephrine may act to modulate the active state of slow muscle fibres at high cruising speeds and thereby increase swimming performance.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Altringham, J.D. and Johnston, I.A. 1988. The mechanical properties of polyneuronally innervated, myotomal muscle fibres isolated from a teleost fish (Myoxocephalus scorpius). Pflüger Arch. 412: 524–529.
Altringham, J.D. and Johnston, I.A. 1990. Modelling muscle power output in a swimming fish. J. Exp. Biol. 148: 395–402.
Bowman, W.C. 1980. Effects of adrenergic activators and inhibitors on the skeletal muscles.In Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Vol. 54/2, pp 47–128. Edited by L. Szekeres. Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Bowman, W.C., Lam, F.Y., Rodger, I.W. and Shahid, M. 1985. Cyclic nucleotides and contractility of isolated soleus muscle. Br. J. Pharmacol. 84: 259–264.
Bowman, W.C. and Nott, M.W. 1969. Action of sympathomimetic amines and their antagonists on skeletal muscle. Pharmacol. Rev. 21: 27–72.
Bowman, W.C. and Nott, M.W. 1974. Effects of catecholamines, cyclic nucleotides and phosphodiesterase inhibitors on contractions of skeletal muscles in anaesthetized cats. Clin. Exp. Pharmac. Physiol. 1: 309–323.
Bowman, W.C. and Zaimis, E. 1958. The effects of adrenaline, noradrenaline and isoprenaline on skeletal muscle contractions in the cat. J. Physiol. 144: 92–107.
Bowman, W.C. and Rand, M.J. 1980. Textbook of Pharmacology. Second edition. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
Butler, P.J., Metcalfe, J.D. and Ginley, S.A. 1986. Plasma catecholamines in the lesser spotted dogfish and rainbow trout at rest and during different levels of exercise. J. Exp. Biol. 123: 409–421.
Butler, P.J., Axelsson, M., Ehrenstrom, F., Metcalfe, J.D. and Nilsson, S. 1989. Circulating catecholamines and swimming performance in the Atlantic cod,Gadus morhua. J. Exp. Biol. 141: 377–387.
Cameron, J.S. 1979. Autonomic nervous tone and regulation of heart rate in the goldfish,Carassius auratus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 63C: 341–349.
Clausen, T. 1981. The hormonal regulation of electrogenic Na+-K+-transport in skeletal muscle.In Physiology of Non-excitable Cells, Advances in Physiological Sciences. Vol. 3, pp 209–220. Edited by J. Salanki. Pergamon Press, Budapest.
Gonzalez-Serratos, H., Hill, L. and Valle-Aguilera, R. 1981. Effects of catecholamines and cyclic AMP on excitation-coupling in isolated skeletal muscle fibres of the frog. J. Physiol. 315: 267–282.
Holmberg, E. and Waldeck, B. 1977. Analysis of the β-receptor mediated effect on fast-contracting skeletal musclein vitro. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 301: 109–113.
Holmgren, S. 1977. Regulation of the heart of the teleost,Gadus morhua, by autonomic nerves and circulating catecholamines. Acta Physiol. Scand. 99: 62–74.
Johnston, I.A. and Altringham, J.D. 1988. Muscle function in locomotion. Nature, Lond. 335: 767–768.
Jorgenson, A.O. and Jones, L.R. 1986. Localization of phospholamban in slow but not fast canine skeletal muscle fibres. J. Biol. Chem. 261: 3775–3781.
Kirchberger, M.A. and Tada, M. 1976. Effects of adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-dependant protein kinase on sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from cardiac and slow and fast contracting skeletal muscles. J. Biol. Chem. 251: 725–729.
Kirchbergen, M.A., Tada, M. and Katz, A.M. 1974. Adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase-catalysed phosphorylation reaction and its relationship to calcium transport in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. J. Biol. Chem. 249: 6166–6173.
Kunos, G. and Nickerson, M. 1976. Temperature-induced interconversion of α- and β-adrenoreceptors in the frog heart. J. Physiol. Lond. 256: 23–40.
Mazeaud, M.M. and Mazeaud, F. 1985. Adrenergic responses to stress in fish.In Stress in Fish. pp. 49–55. Edited by A.D. Pickering. Academic Press, New York.
McArdle, H.J. and Johnston, I.A. 1981. Ca2+-uptake by tissue sections and biochemical characteristics of sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from fish fast and slow muscles. Eur. J. Cell. Biol. 25: 103–107.
Merican, Z., Nott, M.W. and Sunbhanich, M. 1983. Effects of increasing the frequency of twitches and of isoprenaline on maximal twitches and cyclic AMP levels in slow- and fast-contracting cat skeletal muscles. Br. J. Pharmacol. 80: 303–308.
Perry, S.F., Daxboeck, C. and Dobson, G.P. 1985. The effect of perfusion flow rate and adrenergic stimulation on oxygen transfer in the isolated, saline-perfused head of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). J. Exp. Biol. 116: 251–269.
Peyraud-Waitzenegger, M., Barthelemy, L. and Peyraud, C. 1980. Cardiovascular and ventilatory effects of catecholamines in unrestrained eels (Anguilla anguilla L.). J. Comp. Physiol. 138: 367–375.
Posner, J.B., Stern, R. and Krebs, E.G. 1965. Effects of electrical stimulation and epinephrine on muscle phosphorylase, phosphorylase b kinase and adenosine 3′,5′-phosphate. J. Biol. Chem. 240: 982–985.
Schwartz, A., Entman, M.L., Kaniike, K., Lane, L.K., Van Winkle, W.B. and Bornet, E.P. 1976. The rate of calcium muscle and skeletal muscle. Effects of cyclic AMP-dependant protein kinase and phosphorylase b kinase. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 426: 57–72.
Tada, M., Kirchberger, M.A. and Katz, A.M. 1975. Phosphorylation of a 22,000 dalton component of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum by adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase. J. Biol. Chem. 250: 2640–2647.
Tashiro, N. 1973. Effects of isoprenaline on contractions of directly stimulated fast and slow skeletal muscles of the guinea pig. Br. J. Pharmacol. 48: 121–131.
Wood, C.M. 1974. A critical examination of the physical and adrenergic factors affecting blood flow through the gills of the rainbow trout. J. Exp. Biol. 60: 241–265.
Zahler, W.L. 1983. Evidence for multiple interconvertible forms of adenylate cyclase detected by forskolin activation. J. Cycl. Nucl. 9: 221–230.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johnson, T.P., Moon, T.W. & Johnston, I.A. Actions of epinephrine on the contractility of fast and slow skeletal muscle fibres in teleosts. Fish Physiol Biochem 9, 83–89 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01987615
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01987615