The influence of adrenalectomy on muscle constituents

Abstract

Skeletal muscle of albino rats (mostly Wistar) adrenalectomized for 3-6 days showed an increase in K, Mg, phospho-creatine, glucose-1-phosphate; a decrease in Na, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-l,6-diphosphate; and no change in Ca, Cl, total-P, acid-soluble-P, adenosine-triphosphate-P, total hexosemono-phosphate - P, fructose-6 - phosphate - P, triose phosphate plus phosphoglyceric acid-P, phosphopyruvic acid-P, carnosine, anserine, and H2O; while plasma showed an increase in K, Mg, urea, total-P, and inorganic-P; a decrease in Na, Cl, HCO3-, Ca, and pH probably; and no change in total molecular conc., and H2O. The [eta] value, or total non-diffusible substances (as mM/l. of ''fibre water''), falls from 147-120 after adrenalectomy; the [epsilon] value (or mM alkali/l, of ''fibre water'' required to satisfy the surplus of negative charges on [eta]) rises from 146-175. Somewhat less than half the fall in [eta] is accounted for by the direct analyses of the muscle constituents.