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Human skeletal muscle energy metabolism: when a physiological model promotes the search for new technologies

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Abstract

The idea that muscle function and, in fact, the function of all living tissues may be described by physical laws appeared in the second half of the 19th century. During this period, Helmoltz (Über die Erhaltung der Kraft, 1847) showed that the principle of energy conservation may be applied to living systems. In the field of exercise physiology, this idea has been subsequently developed by Rodolfo Margaria’s (1901–1983) School and the mathematical formalization of the theory has succeeded in the bioenergetic model. During the last 20 years methodical and critical study of the bioenergetic model has been carried out by Paolo Cerretelli, one of the most important heirs of Rodolfo Margaria’s School. Original results and technological developments have been generated by his activity and many young scientists have been educated in this approach. The present paper wants to present the modern history of the bioenergetic model and is dedicated to Paolo Cerretelli on the occasion of his seventieth birthday.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks the Swiss National Science Foundation (#31–58759.99) for the financial support. In particular, a special thanks to Professor David Delpy (Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, UCL, London, UK) for having revised the present paper and for the many years of stimulating scientific collaboration. I would like to thank also Professor Pietro Enrico di Prampero (Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, University of Udine, Italy) for the useful hints given for the final version of the manuscript. Last, but not least, a great thanks to Professor François Terrier (Department of Radiology, University of Geneva, Switzerland) for having permitted us to develop the essential parts of the research activity on muscle energetics in his Department.

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  1. Depts. of Radiology and Physiology, Département de Physiologie, Centre Médical Universitaire, rue Michel Servet 1, 1211 Genève 4, Geneva, Switzerland

    Tiziano Binzoni

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Correspondence to Tiziano Binzoni.

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Binzoni, T. Human skeletal muscle energy metabolism: when a physiological model promotes the search for new technologies. Eur J Appl Physiol 90, 260–269 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-0958-4

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