Energetics of Uterine Muscle Contraction

Abstract

LUNDSGAARD¹ has shown that the energy liberated by striated muscle, poisoned by monoiodoacetic acid under anaerobic conditions, is proportional to the breakdown of creatine phosphate. He has also shown that under these conditions adenosinetriphosphate² also disappeared on stimulation. In view of these facts, and Lohmann's³ findings on the phosphate transfer between creatine phosphate and adenine compounds, it can be assumed that adenosinetriphosphate and creatine phosphate together form the store of immediately available energy in muscle. According to Lundsgaard, a muscle poisoned by monoiodoacetic acid can perform about a hundred contractions in nitrogen. The energy of these contractions is derived solely from the stored high-energy phosphates, which, under normal conditions, are regenerated by carbohydrate metabolism.