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Effects of removal of weight-bearing function on contractility and myosin isoform composition in single human skeletal muscle cells

  • Original Article
  • Molecular and cellular physiology
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-week period without weight bearing, achieved by bed rest, on the contractile behaviour, myosin isoform expression and myofibrillar protein content of single human muscle fibres. Percutaneous biopsied specimens of the quadriceps muscle were taken from three healthy male volunteers before and at the end of the experimental period. Maximum force normalised to cross-sectional area (specific tension), maximum velocity of unloaded shortening ( V0, and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) and light chain (MyLC) isoform composition were measured in single membrane-per-meabilised muscle cells obtained from these specimens. At the end of the experimental period, specific tension was reduced (P < 0.001) by 40% and there was a parallel decline in myofibrillar protein content per muscle cell volume. V0 did not change significantly in response to bed rest when data from all muscle cells were pooled. In two of the subjects, however, V 0 decreased (P < 0.01-0.001) in muscle cells expressing the β/slow (type I) MyHC isoform, but there was no change in fibres expressing type IIA or a combination of type IIA and IIB MyHCs. The slowing in type I MyHC fibres was associated with a change in the isoform composition of the regulatory MyLC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Karolinska Hospital, S-104 01, Stockholm, Sweden

    Lars Larsson, Xiaopeng Li & Walter R. Frontera

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Hans E. Berg

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, Mass., USA

    Walter R. Frontera

Authors
  1. Lars Larsson
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  2. Xiaopeng Li
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  3. Hans E. Berg
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  4. Walter R. Frontera
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Larsson, L., Li, X., Berg, H.E. et al. Effects of removal of weight-bearing function on contractility and myosin isoform composition in single human skeletal muscle cells. Pflugers Arch. 432, 320–328 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004240050139

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004240050139

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