Studies on the Chemical Composition of Muscle Tissue

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Abstract
1. Mantle muscle from Sepia officinalis, Loligo forbesi and Eledone cirrhosa has been analysed for all the major constituents contributing to its osmotic concentration, including inorganic ions, organic phosphates, amino acids and nitrogenous bases. 2. Intracellular concentrations have been calculated for Sepia and Eledone muscle after appropriate corrections for extracellular fluid as measured by inulin space. 3. From analyses of the juice pressed from muscle it has been concluded that the whole of the cell calcium, much of the magnesium and sodium, and a lesser proportion of potassium is bound to cell constituents; the chloride ion is completely free. 4. Direct measurements of the osmotic concentration of muscle-juice and plasma of Eledone show that the juice is slightly hyperosmotic (+ 3.2% on plasma value), probably owing to some breakdown of labile compounds. 5. The ions and compounds studied make up 94% of the osmotic concentration of the muscle cells in Sepia, and 86% in Eledone. Over half of the osmotic con centration of the cells is made up by free amino acids, trimethylamine oxide and betaine.

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