METABOLIC ANALYSIS OF LATISSIMUS-DORSI COUPLED TO A MOCK CIRCULATION

A mock circulation system has been used to examine the metabolic and h emodynamic responses of untrained and trained latissimus dorsi muscle in a normal animal model. The metabolic response of untrained latissim us dorsi to differing stimulations regimes runs parallel to its mechan ical performance. The ratio of power generated to oxidative capacity ( a measure of metabolic efficiency) was maintained to a greater extent in muscle trained for 5 months subjected to specific fatigue tests, fa lling by only 20% (as opposed to 80% observed in untrained control mus cle). This approach to studying metabolic and hemodynamic performance may have relevance when skeletal muscle is used for cardiac assistance .