PYGM and peripheral arterial disease: In decerebrated rats, we investigated the role played by lactate and hydrogen ions in a model of PAD, which was simulated by ligating the femoral artery for 72 h before the start of the experiment.<h4>Methods</h4>Production of lactate and hydrogen ions by the contracting hindlimb muscles was manipulated by knocking out the myophosphorylase gene (pygm).