[Department of the Biochemistry of Muscles].

The basic scientific achievements of the Department of Biochemistry of Muscles organized at the Academy of Sciences of Ukrainian SSR in 1944 are presented in this short historical overview. The basic guidelines for activities in the scientific field are as follows: study of biochemical processes in the working muscles as well as during misfunctions and disabilities, processes of adenine nucleotides exchange and ammonia creation, biochemical characterization of Ca2+ and H+ transport through the plasma and sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. It is shown that creatine and creatine phosphate as well as adenine nucleotide content and metabolism affect the muscle functioning, glycogen metabolism proceeds simultaneously with the lowering of content of inorganic phosphate. The facts of glucose phosphorylation and its conversion via glycolytic pathways and the backward reaction of glycolysis (the aerobic synthesis of phosphopyruvate, glycogen synthesis from glucose in the presence of phosphorylase) were determined. After the muscle work up to tiredness adenine nucleotide depletion is not limited by its dephosphorylation, but goes up to formation of inosine acid and ammonia. Deamidation is shown to be in myofibrillar fraction and in sarcoplasmic reticulum of the skeletal muscle. Deamidation activity is not registered in myocardium myofibrillar fraction but it is registered in sarcoplasmic reticulum. AMP-phosphohydrolase and adenosine desaminase were found in membranes of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The decrease in activity of all enzymes mentioned above is registered during myocardium hypertrophy, because of aorta narrowing. These data permit creating the methods for obtaining substance "adenosine phosphate" for treatment of cardiac pathologies. Glutaminase was found to be active in the muscles. This activity depended on the organism functioning. The ammonia usage by the muscle cells goes with glutamine synthesis and consumption of energy of ATP, e.g. protein amidation. The later is of all-biological significance and is used in the fields of medicine actualls concerned with the following fact: the velocity of hydrolysis of amidated protein is different for such pathology as epilepsia, tuberculosis, poisoning with manganese oxides. The methods for diagnostics of the above pathological states were developed on this basis. It is proved that glutamine nitrogen can be also used in the reaction of transamination, particularly during synthesis of purines, inosine acid and it is stored in a form of glutaminic acid. Changes in carbohydrate and phosphorus metabolism, in nitrogen and energetic exchanges and mitochondria overfilling with calcium were determined under E-avitaminosis dystrophy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)