The Time Course of the Active State in Relation to Sarcomere Length and Movement Studied in Single Skeletal Muscle Fibres of the Frog

Abstract The rising and falling phases of the active state were analyzed, by means of quick‐release technique, during a series of 4 incompletely fused isometric twitches in single semitendinosus muscle fibres of the frog. The analysis was carried out at different sarcomere lengths within the range 1.7–2.8 μ. The rate of rise of the active state was independent of the sarcomere length. A reduction in fibre length was associated with an earlier onset of the decay of the active state leading to a decrease in duration of the activity at the shorter length. The duration of the active state at 1.9 μ sarcomere spacing was 69 (range: 51–40) per cent of the duration existing at 2.6 μ sarcomere length as determined in 7 different fibres. Movement (active shortening) per se , apart from the change in sarcomere length, affected the kinetics of the active state. An interval of free shortening interposed during an isometric contraction reduced the fibre's capacity to produce tension for the rest of the contraction period without changing the total duration of the mechanical activity substantially. The movement produced a relatively small effect as long as the active state was maximum; the depressant effect became greater and greater, however, the later the movement occurred during the decay phase of the active state. The nature of the length and movement dependence of the active state is discussed in the light of the calcium‐activator mechanism of the excitation‐contraction coupling.