Reductions in work output during repeated contractions of rat medial gastrocnemius muscles (37 degrees C) were compared with changes in muscle metabolite concentrations. Three different exercise protocols were used in which the total number of stimuli and the length excursion were the same. The muscles performed a series of either 10, 25 or 40 repeated contractions at velocities of 20, 50 and 80 mm/s for groups A, B and C, respectively. In group A work output decreased steadily to 66% of the output in the first contraction. In groups B and C work output decreased to less than 10% of the first contraction. Changes in phosphocreatine and lactate concentrations were similar for all groups. However, very low ATP concentrations (approximately 35% of the resting value) were observed in groups B and C, compared with approximately 65% in group A. Inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) production was 9.9 mumol/g dry wt in group A and approximately 18 mumol/g dry wt in groups B and C. The results suggest fatigue does not depend on changes in intracellular inorganic phosphate and pH but possibly on changes in nucleotide metabolism.

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