Energy expenditure of longitudinal smooth muscle of rabbit urinary bladder

Heat production, oxygen consumption, and lactate production of longitudinal smooth muscle from rabbit urinary bladder has been measured at 27 degrees C. In isometric contractions (initiated by 1-Hz electrical stimulation) ranging in duration from 2 to 300 s, total energy expenditure correlated linearly with the force-time integral. For any given force-time integral oxygen consumption could account for only approximately 60% of the total energy measured as heat production. A substantial contribution of aerobic lactate production to the total energy flux was observed. This lactate production was also linearly correlated with force-time integral and was of sufficient magnitude to account for the discrepancy between total energy expenditure determined as heat production and oxygen consumption. The suprabasal rate of energy expenditure during the maintenance of force was approximately 2.6 mW/g and remained constant throughout contractions of up to 5-min duration, suggesting that in this muscle there is no change in the energetic cost of force maintenance with increasing duration of contraction. The rate of energy expenditure during the initial period of force development was, however, about twofold greater than that during subsequent force maintenance, indicating that there is an extra energy cost associated with the activation of contraction and development of force above that required for force maintenance.