An estimate of adenosine triphosphate release into the venous effluent from exercising human forearm muscle

Human subjects performed a sustained contraction of the forearm muscles for 4 min in the presence of arterial and venous occlusion.2. The contraction was maintained at 5% of the maximum voluntary contraction, a tension during which the muscle blood flow might be expected to increase by about three times (Lind if so, then the amounts calculated to be released could satisfy the vasodilator requirements of active skeletal muscle.6. The effects of circulating ATP on respiration and coronary blood flow during exercise is discussed, including the role it may play locally in the production of ischaemic pain.