Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 58, Issue 6 2068-2074, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Blood flow distribution in dog gastrocnemius muscle at rest and during stimulation

J. Piiper, D. R. Pendergast, C. Marconi, M. Meyer, N. Heisler and P. Cerretelli

The distribution of blood flow within the isolated perfused dog gastrocnemius muscle (weight 100-240 g) was studied by intra-arterial injection of radioactively labeled microspheres (diameter 15 micron) at rest and during supramaximal stimulation to rhythmic isotonic tetanic contractions of varied frequency against varied loads. After the experiment the muscle was cut into 180-250 pieces of approximately 0.75 g each, and the blood flow to each muscle piece was determined from its radioactivity. The inhomogeneity of blood flow was represented as the frequency distribution of the ratios of regional specific blood flow, i.e., blood flow per unit tissue weight of the piece, QR, to the overall specific blood flow of the muscle, Q. The QR/Q values for the individual pieces of a muscle were found to vary widely both at rest and during stimulation. With rising work load the frequency distribution had a tendency to broaden and flatten, indicating increasing perfusion inhomogeneity. On the average of the experiments, there was no significant difference in specific blood flow between the three anatomic components of the gastrocnemius (lateral and medial heads of gastrocnemius and flexor digitorum superficialis) nor between the superficial and deep portions within these anatomic components, only the distal third of the muscle was relatively less perfused compared with the proximal two-thirds. The considerable inhomogeneity of blood flow as revealed by microsphere embolization and by other methods is expected to exert important limiting effects on local O2 supply, particularly during exercise. Its neglect would lead to serious errors in the analysis of O2 supply to muscle tissue.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. K. Kalliokoski, H. Langberg, A. K. Ryberg, C. Scheede-Bergdahl, S. Doessing, A. Kjaer, M. Kjaer, and R. Boushel Nitric oxide and prostaglandins influence local skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise in humans: coupling between local substrate uptake and blood flow Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2006; 291(3): R803 - R809. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Mizuno, K. Tokizawa, T. Iwakawa, and I. Muraoka Inflection points of cardiovascular responses and oxygenation are correlated in the distal but not the proximal portions of muscle during incremental exercise J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2004; 97(3): 867 - 873. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Mizuno, Y. Kimura, T. Iwakawa, K. Oda, K. Ishii, K. Ishiwata, Y. Nakamura, and I. Muraoka Regional differences in blood flow and oxygen consumption in resting muscle and their relationship during recovery from exhaustive exercise J Appl Physiol, December 1, 2003; 95(6): 2204 - 2210. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. S. Richardson, L. J. Haseler, A. T. Nygren, S. Bluml, and L. R. Frank Local perfusion and metabolic demand during exercise: a noninvasive MRI method of assessment J Appl Physiol, October 1, 2001; 91(4): 1845 - 1853. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Cerretelli and B. Grassi Gas Exchange, MRS and NIRS Assessment of Metabolic Transients in Skeletal Muscle Integr. Comp. Biol., April 1, 2001; 41(2): 229 - 246. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Grassi, M. C. Hogan, K. M. Kelley, W. G. Aschenbach, J. J. Hamann, R. K. Evans, R. E. Patillo, and L. B. Gladden Role of convective O2 delivery in determining VO2 on-kinetics in canine muscle contracting at peak VO2 J Appl Physiol, October 1, 2000; 89(4): 1293 - 1301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Juel, H. Pilegaard, J. J. Nielsen, and J. Bangsbo Interstitial K+ in human skeletal muscle during and after dynamic graded exercise determined by microdialysis Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, February 1, 2000; 278(2): R400 - R406. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Grassi, L. B. Gladden, M. Samaja, C. M. Stary, and M. C. Hogan Faster adjustment of O2 delivery does not affect VO2 on-kinetics in isolated in situ canine muscle J Appl Physiol, October 1, 1998; 85(4): 1394 - 1403. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Grassi, L. B. Gladden, C. M. Stary, P. D. Wagner, and M. C. Hogan Peripheral O2 diffusion does not affect VO2 on-kinetics in isolated in situ canine muscle J Appl Physiol, October 1, 1998; 85(4): 1404 - 1412. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Radegran, H. Pilegaard, J. J. Nielsen, and J. Bangsbo Microdialysis ethanol removal reflects probe recovery rather than local blood flow in skeletal muscle J Appl Physiol, August 1, 1998; 85(2): 751 - 757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. T. Ameredes and M. A. Provenzano Regional intramuscular pressure development and fatigue in the canine gastrocnemius muscle in situ J Appl Physiol, December 1, 1997; 83(6): 1867 - 1876. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E. Curtis, T. A. Walker, W. E. Bradley, and S. M. Cain Raising P50 increases tissue PO2 in canine skeletal muscle but does not affect critical O2 extraction ratio J Appl Physiol, November 1, 1997; 83(5): 1681 - 1689. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]