Pulsed NMR studies of water in striated muscle non-freezing factor of water II. Spin-lattice relaxation times and the dynamics of the non-freezing fraction of water

Abstract

Spin-lattice relaxation times for the water protons in frog gastrocnemius muscle are reported over the temperature range 193 to 283 °K at Larmor frequencies of 30 and 60 MHz. Results of measurements under similar conditions of the transverse relaxation times are also reported. The relaxation times of the non-freezing 20% of the muscle water are interpreted in terms of water molecules, absorbed on or interacting with the proteins, and which are undergoing anisotropic motion, probably with a distribution of correlation times. Proton spin-lattice relaxation times are also reported for muscles under tension, the tension being produced by loading of the muscles with varying weights.