ABSORPTION OF WATER BY FATIGUED OR OTHERWISE IMPAIRED SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS IN RELATION TO HEAT RIGOR

Abstract

Skeletal muscle cells in extreme fatigue, or treated with isotonic alkaline Ringer''s soln. (pH 9.8) until they barely show a visible response to electrical stimulation, have an increased osmotic pressure[long dash]evi denced by an increase in inorganic phosphates retained within the muscle. As a result, such fatigued or treated muscle cells take up water from the tissue fluids or from ordinary isotonic Ringer''s fluid with which they may be bathed, and become larger. Individual muscle cells were measured both before and after being fatigued. The onset temp. of heat rigor in skeletal muscle cells is lowered, whether the cells take up the water as a result of fatigue, or because of treatment with alkaline Ringer''s soln. (as mentioned above) or through poisoning with monoiodoacetic acid, or as a result of being bathed with a hypotonic salt soln. It is the extra water which the protoplasm imbibes, in every case, that somehow brings about this result.