Membrane properties of the sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum of pigs susceptible to malignant hyperthermia. Action of halothane.

The role of sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum in malignant hyperthermia was studied by the esr technique using the trapezius muscle membrane of both normal and genetically susceptible pigs. Normal and malignant hyperthermia membranes from sarcolemma as well as from sarcoplasmic reticulum did not show significant differences near the polar heads of the phospholipidic bilayer. In contrast, the fluidity and activation energy of normal membranes differed from those in malignant hyperthermia; in both sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum the mobility of the label was greater than the controls. The presence of halothane was examined, by inducing this disease anesthetically. The drug effect confirmed the above results, i.e. the disease affects mainly the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer of both sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes.