The purpose of this study was to investigate the metabolism of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in skeletal muscle resistance arterioles and to determine whether this metabolism is altered during the rapid growth phase of the rat. We attempted to quantify ATP metabolism in gastrocnemius first-order arterioles from 8-, 10-, and 12-week-old rats. We measured ATP metabolism using an ATPase/GTPase assay with whole vessel segments as well as using a real-time adenosine biosensor following electric field stimulation. Our first method of measuring ATP metabolism allowed us to measure the amount of free phosphate produced with ATP as a substrate. When ecto-nucleotidase activity was inhibited by ARL67156, pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenly-2', 4'-disulfonic acid (PPADS), or suramin prior to adding ATP, we found that the rate of phosphate production was significantly reduced by 27%, 21%, and 22%, respectively (P < 0.05). Our second method of measuring ATP metabolism allowed us to measure the amount of adenosine produced following electric field stimulation of the arteriole with and without nucleotidase inhibitors. Surprisingly, we found that adenosine overflow was not attenuated by nucleotidase inhibitors. We concluded that ecto-phosphodieterase/phyrophophatase (E-NPP), ecto-diadenosine polyphosphatase (ApnA), NTPDase1 and 2, and E5NT may be present on the gastrocnemius 1A arteriole and do play a role in ATP metabolism. Between the ages of 8 weeks and 12 weeks, however, overall ATP metabolism may not change.
Keywords: Aging; development; ecto‐ATPase; neurotransmitter.