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To investigate the effects of exercise training and immobilization on structure-function relationships in skeletal muscle, three groups of purpose-bred hounds [control (C), exercised trained (E), and immobilized (I)] were studied. Group E exercised on a treadmill 1 h/day, 5 days/wk for 8 wk, while groups C and I were cage-confined for 8 wk, with group I undergoing left hindlimb immobilization for the last 3 wk. The functional results (Bebout et al. J Appl. Physiol; 74(4): 1697-1703, 1993) showed that exercise training increased peak muscle O2 uptake (VO2) by 38% and estimated diffusive conductance (DO2) by 71% in dog gastrocnemius muscle, while immobilization had no effect on peak VO2/g muscle or DO2/g muscle in spite of a 31% reduction in muscle weight and a 68% decrease in citrate synthase activity.