title: Post-mortem timing of skeletal muscle biochemical and mechanical degradation.
abstract: Fresh cadaveric human tissue is a valuable resource that is used to address important clinical questions. However, it is unknown how post-mortem time impacts skeletal muscle mechanical and biochemical properties. We simulated morgue conditions in rabbits and tested the passive mechanical properties of muscle bundles, and the degradation of myosin heavy chain, collagen, and titin at specific intervals up to 7 days post-mortem. While a great deal of inter-specimen variability was observed, it was independent of post-mortem time. Passive mechanics, myosin heavy chain, and collagen content were all unaffected while the titin protein degraded up to 80% over 7 days post-mortem. These data indicate that fresh cadaveric tissue may be used for passive mechanical testing and that certain biochemical properties are unchanged up to 7 days after death.
authors.affiliation: Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Lori J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tuttle
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alperin
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering, University of California San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA. Electronic address: rlieber@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lieber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001706:Biopsy; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D064211:Connectin / Q000737:chemistry*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000737:chemistry*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011817:Rabbits; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D003094:Collagen; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains
keywords: Collagen; Muscle; Myosin heavy chain; Titin