Abstract
The incomplete O 2 extraction in stimulated muscle preparations as well as exercising muscles has been attributed to diffusion limitation. In particular, the constancy of the ratio maximum O 2 uptake-venous P O 2 with varied O 2 supply conditions is in agreement with predictions on the basis of simple perfusion-diffusion models. But several methods (inert gas washout, local xenon clearance, microsphere embolization) have revealed presence of a considerable degree of inhomogeneity of muscle blood flow and shunting both in supramaximally stimulated and in naturally exercising muscle. This inhomogeneity must be taken into account when estimating diffusion limiation in O 2 supply.
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