Biochemical and Morphometric Studies of Heart, Liver and Skeletal muscle from the Hibernating, Arousing and Aroused Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus

Heart, liver, pectoralis major, and plasma of hibernating, arousing and aroused bats were studied. The activities of four mitochondrial enzymes and three morphometric parameters of mitochondria did not change in the heart. Mitochondrial enzyme activities in the liver and pectoralis major did not change. Lactate dehydrogenase activity and isoenzyme content in heart, liver and pectoralis major did not change. Heart lipid content determined morphometrically decreased transiently after 30 min arousal from hibernation. Plasma free fatty acid concentration increased significantly by 7.5 min and peaked at 15 min after arousal from hibernation. Concentrations of heart free fatty acids, triglycerides, glycerol, and cholesterol and liver triglycerides did not change