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Adenine nucleotide and IMP contents of the quadriceps muscle in man after exercise

  • Heart, Circulation, Respiration and Blood; Environmental and Exercise Physiology
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Abstract

Subjects performed submaximal and maximal bicycle exercise. Work time was between 2 and 15 min. Muscle biopsies were taken from m. quadriceps femoris at rest, immediately after termination of exercise and in some cases during the recovery period. Samples were analyzed for lactate, ATP, ADP, AMP, inorganic phosphate, creatine phosphate, creatine and IMP. The decrease in creatine phosphate and ATP/ADP ratio, as well as the increase in lactate were similar to previous investigations. Total adenine nucleotide content (TAN=ATP+ADP+AMP) decreased after maximal exercise with about 15% but was unchanged after submaximal exercise. The decrease in TAN after maximal exercise was corresponded by a similar increase in muscle IMP content. After 30 min of recovery TAN was restored to the basal value and IMP had decreased correspondingly. The physiological importance of adenine nucleotide degradation and IMP accumulation is discussed as well as the regulatory properties of the involved enzymes. The amount of energy which is liberated when 1 mol of ATP is hydrolysed to ADP has been calculated to decrease from 54 kJ at rest to 50 kJ after exhaustive exercise. It is suggested that the energy yield in the hydrolysation of ATP, rather than the amount of available ATP, is limiting for muscle contraction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metabolic Research Laboratory, S:t Eriks sjukhus, S-112 82, Stockholm, Sweden

    K. Sahlin

  2. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Serafimerlasarettet, S-112 83, Stockholm, Sweden

    G. Palmskog & E. Hultman

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  1. K. Sahlin
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  2. G. Palmskog
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  3. E. Hultman
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Sahlin, K., Palmskog, G. & Hultman, E. Adenine nucleotide and IMP contents of the quadriceps muscle in man after exercise. Pflugers Arch. 374, 193–198 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00581301

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00581301

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