Abstract
1. Experiments were done to test the hypothesis that parvalbumin (PA) promotes relaxation in frog skeletal muscle. Single fibres and purified PA from Rana temporaria skeletal muscle were used to determine the relationship between PA concentration ( [PA] ), Ca2+ and Mg2+ dissociation rates from PA and changes in rate of relaxation as a function of tetanus duration at 0 degrees C. 2. Total [PA] in fibres from tibialis anterior muscles is 0.76 +/- 0.20 mmol PA l-1 myoplasmic water (mean +/- S.D., n = 25) with 65% PA IVa and 35% PA IVb, where PA IVa and PA IVb are PA isoforms. 3. Relaxation rate from an isometric tetanus shows progressively as a function of tetanus duration with an exponential time course and a rate constant of 1.18 +/- 0.35 s-1 (n = 17). Time course of recovery of relaxation rate after a prolonged tetanus is exponential with a rate constant of 0.12 +/- 0.02 s-1 (n = 14). 4. The extent of recovery of relaxation rate after a prolonged tetanus was correlated with total [PA] in fibres (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.80, n = 7; P less than 0.05). 5. Dissociation rate constants for Mg2+ and Ca2+ from purified PA are 0.93 +/- 0.02 s-1 (n = 5) and 0.19 +/- 0.01 s-1 (n = 5), respectively. Dissociation rate constants were not significantly different for PA isoforms IVa and IVb. These rate constants are similar to the rate constants determined for the time courses of slowing and recovery of relaxation rate, respectively. 6. Results suggest that the time courses of slowing and recovery of relaxation rate may be controlled, to a large extent, by Mg2+ and Ca2+ dissociation from PA, respectively. This evidence supports a role for PA in facilitating relaxation during a tetanus in frog skeletal muscle at 0 degrees C.