Blood Flow and Metabolism During Isometric Contractions in Cat Skeletal Muscle

The muscle blood flow, oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, muscle and blood lactate, muscle ATP, creatinine phosphate, glycogen, and venous pH were measured in the soleus (a slow-twitch muscle) and the medial gastrocnemius (a fast-twitch muscle) of the cat during fatiguing isometric exercise. Five tensions were examined: 10, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the initial strength of the muscles (tetanic tension of the unfatigued muscle). Contractions were either sustained to fatigue or, for tensions of 10 and 25% initial strength of the soleus muscle, were sustained for 3 min. Analysis of the blood flow and metabolites from these muscles showed that the soleus was heavily dependent on its blood supply, using aerobic metabolism as the predominant pathway, whereas the medial gastrocnemius muscle seemed to use anaerobic metabolism even at low isometric tensions.