Summary
Muscle biopsies were taken from the middle part of the vastus lateralis muscle of 9 men, who were not regularly involved in endurance training (M, average\(\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } \) max=61.3 ml/min·kg), 3 sedentary women (W,\(\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } \)max=43.7 ml/min·kg) and 5 well trained orienteers (TO,\(\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } \) max=76.1 ml/min·kg). Morphometric analysis of 60 electron micrographs per biopsy gave the following significant differneces:
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1.
The volume density of central mitochondria was 1.47-fold higher in TO than in M, and 1.44-fold higher in M than in W.
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2.
The volume density of peripheric mitochondria was 3.22 times higher in TO compared to M.
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3.
The ratio of the central mitochondrial volume to the volume of myofibrils was 1.54-fold higher in TO compared to M, while the respective ratio was 1.49 for M compared to W.
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4.
The surface of the central mitochondria was 1.28-fold higher in TO than in M and 1.35-fold higher in M than in M.
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5.
The surface of mitochondrial cristae was higher by a factor of 1.62 in TO compared to M and 1.35 in M compared to W.
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6.
The central mitochondria were larger in TO compared to M by a factor of 1.12.
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7.
The volume density of intracellular lipid (triglyceride droplets), was 2.5-fold higher in TO than in M.
There were highly significant correlations between\(\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} } \) max and volume density of central mitochondria (r=0.82), surface of mitochondrial cristae (r=0.80) and the ratio of mitochondrial volume to myofibrillar volume (r=0.78).
No quantitative changes could be observed in mitochondrial fine structure. Neither volume density of sarcoplasma nor volume and surface density of the tubular system showed any difference as a function of training and sex.
It is postulated that
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a)
an individual's maximum oxygen intake is limited not only by the capacity of the oxygen transport system but also by the oxidative capacity of mitochondria in the skeletal muscles, and
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b)
the skeletal muscle of trained athletes contains a much higher quantity of intracellular lipids (triglyceride droplets) as a substrate directly available for energy production.
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a)
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Supported by grant 3.561.71 from Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung.
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Hoppeler, H., Lüthi, P., Claassen, H. et al. The ultrastructure of the normal human skeletal muscle. Pflugers Arch. 344, 217–232 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588462
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588462