Effect of acute cold exposure on the mobilization of intramuscular glycogen and triglycerides in the rat.

Male Wistar rats, 300-360 g of body weight, were exposed to cold (1 degree) for 3 and 24 h. The levels of glycogen and triglycerides (TG) were estimated in "white" and "red" portions of the quadriceps muscle (FG and POG muscles respectively) in the soleus muscle (SO muscle), and in the heart muscle. It was found that 3 h cold exposure decreased significantly the glycogen level only in the heart muscle and had no effect in the other muscles examined. Exposure to cold for 24 h reduced the glycogen level in FG and FOG muscles, and lowered further the heart glycogen level. No change of glycogen level during cold exposure was observed in SO muscle. The level of TG in each examined muscle was significantly reduced already after 3 h of cold exposure. After 24 h it remained further unchanged in FG and FOG muscles whereas in SO and heart muscles a partial recovery of TG occurred. It is concluded that in warm-acclimatized rats the intramuscular TG play an important role as a local source of free fatty acids during the first period of acute exposure to cold.