Measuring intracellular oxygenation with myoglobin MRS

Despite the obvious importance of oxygen (-Acny₂) in maintaining cellular viability, many fundamental questions still abound about its role in regulating metabolism. These include the knowledge of the critical O₂ level required by the cell to maintain healthy function, the role played by O₂ in cellular signaling, and the biochemical mechanism of intracellular O₂ transport. To address such questions, biophysical techniques must first measure the intracellular oxygen level. Fortunately, detecting the ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) myoglobin (Mb) signals of valine E11 (Val-E11) γ ₁-CH₃ and the proximal histidine F8 (His-F8) NδH in vivo has opened unique opportunities to clarify the cellular O₂ level, to understand the role of O₂ in regulating respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, and to secure new insights into cellular function of Mb.