Energy metabolism of rat skeletal muscle modulated by the rate of perfusion flow

Abstract

Isolated rat gracilis muscle was superfused and perfused by two different perfusion flow rates. The energy state of the cell and the proportions of glycolytic and mitochondrial fluxes of ATP synthesis were evaluated.

Increasing the perfusion flow rate to0.1 ml/min increased the oxygen uptake to 120 nmol/min, thus leading to a prevalence of mitochondrial ATP synthesis over glycolitic ATP synthesis. The inner stores of glycogen served as the main substrate of energy metabolism.