[Oxidative metabolism of rat skeletal muscle mitochondria in adaptation to cold]

In control and cold-adapted rats the oxygen consumption was measured polarographically in isolated mitochondria of gastrocnemic and soleus muscles before denervation and 60 min afterwards. Muscle denervation decreased the direct oxidation intensity in both the groups of rats. Unlike, the intensity of phosphorylation in cold-adapted animals increased following the denervation in the soleus muscle, and decreased in the gastrocnemic muscle, whereas no changes were evident in the control rats. It is concluded that the adaptation to cold may augment the dependence of oxidative metabolism in muscle mitochondria on the central nervous control.