Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
Adv Physiol Educ. 2022 Sep 1;46(3):481-490. doi: 10.1152/advan.00108.2022. Epub 2022 Jun 27.
In the early 1950s Setsuro Ebashi was a graduate student at Tokyo University studying the biochemical models of muscle contraction. The muscle components in these models contracted in the presence of ATP, but what caught his attention was that the components did not relax when ATP was exhausted. Ebashi decided in 1952 to attempt to elucidate the mechanism of muscle relaxation using these models. This decision started a journey that would lead him to be the first to propose the calcium concept of muscle contraction and relaxation in 1961. It was an unpopular theory with biochemists who refused to accept that anything as simple as an inorganic ion, Ca, could control anything as important as muscle contraction. Ebashi was convinced that he was correct. He proceeded to show that micromolar concentrations of Ca activated contraction. In 1961 he discovered the particulate nature of the ATP-dependent relaxing factor (the sarcoplasmic reticulum) and determined that it acted by binding Ca. Most notably, in 1966 he discovered troponin, the Ca receptor in muscle, which mediated Ca control of contraction. Ebashi's discoveries were considered the most important in the muscle field since the 1950s. Ebashi had to overcome the doubt of the scientific community. This story is one of great scientific achievement against great odds that marked the emergence of Japanese muscle research onto the international scientific stage. Setsuro Ebashi proposed the calcium concept of muscle contraction and relaxation in 1961. It was a very unpopular theory. He showed that Ca activated contraction and that the sarcoplasmic reticulum caused relaxation by binding Ca in an ATP-dependent manner. Most notably, he discovered the receptor that mediated Ca control of contraction and named it "troponin." Ebashi's discoveries are considered to be the most important in the muscle field since the 1950s.
20 世纪 50 年代初，设乐博司（Setsuro Ebashi）是东京大学的研究生，研究肌肉收缩的生化模型。这些模型中的肌肉成分在 ATP 存在的情况下收缩，但引起他注意的是，当 ATP 耗尽时，这些成分并没有放松。1952 年，Ebashi 决定尝试使用这些模型来阐明肌肉松弛的机制。这一决定使他成为 1961 年第一个提出钙与肌肉收缩和松弛关系理论的人。这一理论在生物化学家中并不受欢迎，他们拒绝接受像 Ca 这样简单的无机离子可以控制像肌肉收缩这样重要的事情。Ebashi 坚信自己是正确的。他接着证明，Ca 的毫摩尔浓度可以激活收缩。1961 年，他发现了依赖于 ATP 的松弛因子（肌浆网）的颗粒性质，并确定它通过结合 Ca 起作用。最值得注意的是，1966 年，他发现了肌钙蛋白，这是肌肉中的 Ca 受体，介导 Ca 对收缩的控制。Ebashi 的发现被认为是 20 世纪 50 年代以来肌肉领域最重要的发现。Ebashi 不得不克服科学界的怀疑。这个故事是一个在巨大困难下取得巨大科学成就的故事，标志着日本肌肉研究在国际科学界崭露头角。设乐博司于 1961 年提出了钙与肌肉收缩和松弛的关系理论。这是一个非常不受欢迎的理论。他表明 Ca 激活收缩，肌浆网通过依赖于 ATP 的方式结合 Ca 引起松弛。最值得注意的是，他发现了介导 Ca 对收缩控制的受体，并将其命名为“肌钙蛋白”。Ebashi 的发现被认为是 20 世纪 50 年代以来肌肉领域最重要的发现。
