Advantage of normalizing force production to myofibrillar protein in skeletal muscle cross-sectional area

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Abstract
When maximum isometric force (Po) is normalized to muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), intrinsic differences in force production among muscles may be masked by alterations in myofibrillar protein concentration or extracellular space. We tested the hypothesis that there is a greater deficit in Po when normalized to the average whole muscle CSA than when normalized to the myofibrillar protein CSA under conditions known to alter the concentration of myofibrils or connective tissue protein or interstitial fluid volume. Rats underwent either hindlimb unweighting (HU) to induce atrophy in the soleus muscle, sciatic nerve denervation to induce atrophy in the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, or ablation of gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles to induce hypertrophy in the soleus muscle. Po of the soleus muscle normalized to the muscle CSA (specific Po) was 58, 25, and 72% of control muscles with HU, denervation, and hypertrophy, respectively, whereas denervated EDL muscle specific Po was 60% of control muscles (P < 0.05). Soleus muscle Po normalized to the myofibrillar CSA was 80, 53, and 75% of control muscles with HU, denervation, and hypertrophy, respectively, whereas the denervated EDL muscle value was 82% of control muscles (P < 0.05). Both approaches to normalizing Po show force deficits, but normalization to the average myofibrillar protein in the muscle cross section gives values substantially closer to control values for HU and denervated muscles only. Data support the hypothesis because myofibrillar protein concentration is decreased in HU and denervation and interstitial space is increased in HU but neither parameter is altered with hypertrophy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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