The significance of carnosine and anserine in striated skeletal muscle

Membrane‐linked energy buffering as the biological function of Na+/K+ gradient

“…(4) The absence of any metabolic or regulatory functions of these compounds, which could explain such a large content of dipeptides. We can conclude that, most probably, carnosine and anserine are specialized pH buffers of the muscle tissue, as was postulated by Bate Smith [35] and Davey [36]. It is to be asked whether there are other compounds specialized in this function.…”

Muscle Carnosine Metabolism and β-Alanine Supplementation in Relation to Exercise and Training

“…However, the quantitative contribution of carnosine to total buffer capacity is limited, so it is likely that additional underlying mechanisms are at play. The initial estimates of carnosine's contribution to total muscle buffer capacity were as high as 60% [39]. Later studies [61;98], however, estimated the contribution of carnosine to the total buffering capacity to be only 7%.…”

The significance of the activity of glycogen debranching enzyme in glycolysis in porcine and bovine muscles

“…Thus, in strenuous physical stress, a high PHOS/GDE ratio in FG muscles enables a short burst of glycolysis, which leads to a rapid increase in H + content. The high buffering capacity of FG muscles (Davey, 1960;Kylä-Puhju et al, 2004;Puolanne & Kivikari, 2000;Rao & Gault, 1989;Talmant et al 1986) protects these muscles against a sudden pH decrease, but the proportionally low activity of GDE compared to the activity of PHOS may be needed to further restrain glycogenolysis.…”