title: Measurement of Maximum Isometric Force Generated by Permeabilized Skeletal Muscle Fibers.
abstract: Analysis of the contractile properties of chemically skinned, or permeabilized, skeletal muscle fibers offers a powerful means by which to assess muscle function at the level of the single muscle cell. Single muscle fiber studies are useful in both basic science and clinical studies. For basic studies, single muscle fiber contractility measurements allow investigation of fundamental mechanisms of force production, and analysis of muscle function in the context of genetic manipulations. Clinically, single muscle fiber studies provide useful insight into the impact of injury and disease on muscle function, and may be used to guide the understanding of muscular pathologies. In this video article we outline the steps required to prepare and isolate an individual skeletal muscle fiber segment, attach it to force-measuring apparatus, activate it to produce maximum isometric force, and estimate its cross-sectional area for the purpose of normalizing the force produced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School.
authors.forename: Stuart M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School; Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School.
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gumucio
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School.
authors.forename: Susan V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School; Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mendias
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School; Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School; claflin@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Claflin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010539:Permeability; D051381:Rats; D012518:Sarcomeres / Q000502:physiology