title: Ex vivo assessment of contractility, fatigability and alternans in isolated skeletal muscles.
abstract: Described here is a method to measure contractility of isolated skeletal muscles. Parameters such as muscle force, muscle power, contractile kinetics, fatigability, and recovery after fatigue can be obtained to assess specific aspects of the excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) process such as excitability, contractile machinery and Ca(2+) handling ability. This method removes the nerve and blood supply and focuses on the isolated skeletal muscle itself. We routinely use this method to identify genetic components that alter the contractile property of skeletal muscle though modulating Ca(2+) signaling pathways. Here, we describe a newly identified skeletal muscle phenotype, i.e., mechanic alternans, as an example of the various and rich information that can be obtained using the in vitro muscle contractility assay. Combination of this assay with single cell assays, genetic approaches and biochemistry assays can provide important insights into the mechanisms of ECC in skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA.
authors.forename: Ki Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brotto
authors.forename: Oanh
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lehoang
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brotto
authors.forename: Jianjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005936:Glucans / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; C439358:alternan