Control of Oxidative Metabolism and Oxygen Delivery in Human Skeletal Muscle: A Steady-State Analysis of the Work/Energy Cost Transfer Function

The concept of transfer function for organ performance (work output vs. biochemical input) is developed for skeletal and cardiac muscle under steady-state exercise conditions. For metabolic control by the ADP concentration, the transfer function approximates a Michaelis-Menten hyperbola. Variation of the work identifies metabolic operating points on the transfer function corresponding to ADP concentrations or to a ratio of inorganic phosphate to phosphocreatine that can be determined by phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance. This operating point is characterized by the fraction (V/Vmax) of maximal activity of oxidative metabolism in the steady state. This quantity appears to be useful in predicting the degree to which metabolic homeostasis is effective; poorly controlled metabolic states can readily be identified and are used in the diagnosis and therapy of metabolic disease in the organs of neonates and adults.