Skeletal muscle glucolysis, glycogenolysis and glycogen phosphorylase during electrical stimulation in man

Phosphorylase activity, glycogenolytic and glucolytic rates were estimated in human quadriceps muscle during electrical stimulation at 20 Hz. Two stimulation periods of 10 s duration were separated by a pause of 60 s. The blood circulation to the leg was intact or occluded during the experiment. ATP turnover rates and force production were of the same order during the two contraction periods both with and without intact blood flow. Also the increase in phosphorylase a activity (from approximately 30% to approximately 65%) was the same during the contraction periods. Glycogenolytic and glucolytic rates were however about 30% higher (P less than 0.05) during the second contraction compared with the first when circulation was occluded, but similar when the circulation was intact. During the 60 s rest period, the phosphocreatine (PCr) was maintained at a low level and inorganic phosphate (Pi) remained increased under occluded circulation while PCr was resynthesized in the rest period with intact circulation. We conclude that the increased glycogenolytic rate observed during the second contraction with occluded blood circulation was due to the high [Pi] in the muscle and that the increased glucolytic rate was caused by high [Pi] and low [PCr]. In the rest period with anoxia the glycogenolysis was completely inhibited and glucolysis was inhibited by 95% in spite of the changes in [PCr] and [Pi].