Repeated force production and metabolites in two medial gastrocnemius muscle compartments of the rat

The most proximal and distal motor nerve branches in the rat medial gastrocnemius innervate discrete muscle compartments dominated by fast-twitch oxidative and fast-twitch glycolytic fibers, respectively. The functional consequences of the difference in oxidative capacity between these compartments were investigated. Wistar rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (90 mg/kg ip). Changes in force of both compartments during 21 isometric contractions (train duration 200 ms, stimulation frequency 120 Hz, 3 s between contractions) were studied in situ with and without blood flow. Without blood flow, force and phosphocreatine declined to a greater extent in the proximal than the distal compartment compared with the run with intact flow. After the protocol without blood flow, when flow was restored, the time constants for force recovery (which were closely associated to the recovery of phosphocreatine) were 37 +/- 7 (SD) (proximal compartment) and 148 +/- 20 s (distal compartment). It was concluded that the proximal compartment had a four times higher oxidative capacity and, therefore, a superior ability for repeated force production.