EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS ON HYPOKINESIS OF SKELETAL-MUSCLES WITH DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS .1. CHANGES IN MUSCLE WEIGHT, PROTEIN AND CONTRACTILE PROPERTIES

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 28  (2) , 195-204
Abstract
In New Zealand white rabbits the right hind limb was immobilized in full extension with a plaster cast. The free left hind limb served as control. The masses of the tetanic gastrocnemius muscle and the tonic soleus muscle considerably decreased as a consequence of immobilization for 5, 10, 14, 28 or 42 days. The decrease was more marked for the soleus muscle. The water content of the muscle did not change substantially during the course of atrophy. The total protein and myofibrillar protein contents of the immobilized muscles fell significantly. The tonic soleus muscle atrophied sooner and was more extensive than the gastrocnemius muscle. Superprecipitation of the myofibrillar proteins of the immobilized muscles decreased by 20-25% compared to controls.