Contractile properties of skinned fibers from hypertrophied skeletal muscle.

We have previously shown deficits in specific tension (N.cm-2) in whole hypertrophied skeletal muscle (18-30%). The purpose of the present study was to determine if this intrinsic deficit exists in chemically skinned, hypertrophied single fibers, and also to measure their Ca2+ sensitivity. One group of rats (N = 4) had bilateral surgical ablation of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, and another group (N = 4) had the gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles ablated to induce hypertrophy in the plantaris and soleus muscles, respectively. Thirty days after surgery five fibers were dissected and analyzed from each of eight muscles per group, including control muscles. In hypertrophied plantaris and soleus muscles, fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) was 20% and 29% greater, respectively, than control values. Maximal Ca2+ activated tension (Po, pCa 4.5) was 15% greater in hypertrophied plantaris fibers and 18% greater in hypertrophied soleus fibers compared with respective control values (P < 0.05). Therefore, Po expressed per fiber CSA was slightly depressed (3-8%) in both plantaris and soleus fibers (P < 0.05). Regarding Ca2+ sensitivity, the Ca2+ concentration to elicit 50% of Po (i.e., pCa50) was significantly lower in hypertrophied soleus (58%) and plantaris (29%) fibers. This leftward shift in the force-pCa curve reflects greater Ca2+ sensitivity in hypertrophied fibers. Since the single fiber Po/CSA was only slightly decreased, these data suggest that during tetanic stimulation of whole muscle Ca2+ delivery to the contractile apparatus may be impaired.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)