We are grateful to Liam Tyron for his expert reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to D. A. Hood. D. A. Hood is also the holder of a Canada Research Chair in Cell Physiology.

All animal-related procedures were reviewed and approved by the York University Animal Care Committee. Upon arrival at the animal facility at York University, all rats were given a minimum of five days to acclimatize to their environment prior to the surgical procedure, with food provided ad libitum. Although this protocol has been previously applied to other species15,17,22, the current paper builds on the pioneering w...

<ol>
	<li>Holloszy, J. O., Coyle, E. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adaptations+of+skeletal+muscle+to+endurance+exercise+and+their+metabolic+consequences.">Adaptations of skeletal muscle to endurance exercise and their metabolic consequences.</a> J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 56 (4), 831-838 (1984).</li><li>Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Invited+Review:+contractile+activity-induced+mitochondrial+biogenesis+in+skeletal+muscle.">Invited Review: contractile activity-induced mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle.</a> J Appl Physiol. 90 (3), 1137-1157 (2001).</li><li>Fernandes, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Exercise+training+restores+the+endothelial+progenitor+cells+number+and+function+in+hypertension:+implications+for+angiogenesis.">Exercise training restores the endothelial progenitor cells number and function in hypertension: implications for angiogenesis.</a> J Hypertens. 30 (11), 2133-2143 (2012).</li><li>Chabi, B., Adhihetty, P. J., O'Leary, M. F., Menzies, K. J., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Relationship+between+Sirt1+expression+and+mitochondrial+proteins+during+conditions+of+chronic+muscle+use+and+disuse.">Relationship between Sirt1 expression and mitochondrial proteins during conditions of chronic muscle use and disuse.</a> J Appl Physiol. 107 (6), 1730-1735 (2009).</li><li>Lessard, S. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Resistance+to+aerobic+exercise+training+causes+metabolic+dysfunction+and+reveals+novel+exercise-regulated+signaling+networks.">Resistance to aerobic exercise training causes metabolic dysfunction and reveals novel exercise-regulated signaling networks.</a> Diabetes. 62 (8), 2717-2727 (2013).</li><li>Irrcher, I., Adhihetty, P. J., Sheehan, T., Joseph, A. M., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=PPARgamma+coactivator-1alpha+expression+during+thyroid+hormone-+and+contractile+activity-induced+mitochondrial+adaptations.">PPARgamma coactivator-1alpha expression during thyroid hormone- and contractile activity-induced mitochondrial adaptations.</a> Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 284 (6), C1669-C1677 (2003).</li><li>Tamura, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Postexercise+whole+body+heat+stress+additively+enhances+endurance+training-induced+mitochondrial+adaptations+in+mouse+skeletal+muscle.">Postexercise whole body heat stress additively enhances endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in mouse skeletal muscle.</a> Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 307 (7), R931-R943 (2014).</li><li>Mosole, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Long-term+high-level+exercise+promotes+muscle+reinnervation+with+age.">Long-term high-level exercise promotes muscle reinnervation with age.</a> J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 73 (4), 284-294 (2014).</li><li>Irrcher, I., Walkinshaw, D. R., Sheehan, T. E., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Thyroid+hormone+(T3)+rapidly+activates+p38+and+AMPK+in+skeletal+muscle+in+vivo.">Thyroid hormone (T3) rapidly activates p38 and AMPK in skeletal muscle in vivo.</a> J Appl Physiol. 104 (1), 178-185 (2008).</li><li>Lesmana, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+change+in+thyroid+hormone+signaling+by+altered+training+intensity+in+male+rat+skeletal+muscle.">The change in thyroid hormone signaling by altered training intensity in male rat skeletal muscle.</a> Endocr J. 63 (8), 727-738 (2016).</li><li>Hokama, J. Y., Streeper, R. S., Henriksen, E. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Voluntary+exercise+training+enhances+glucose+transport+in+muscle+stimulated+by+insulin-like+growth+factor+I.">Voluntary exercise training enhances glucose transport in muscle stimulated by insulin-like growth factor I.</a> J Appl Physiol. 82 (2), 508-512 (1997).</li><li>Tyler, K. R., Wright, A. J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Light+weight+portable+stimulators+for+stimulation+of+skeletal+muscles+at+different+frequencies+and+for+cardiac+pacing.">Light weight portable stimulators for stimulation of skeletal muscles at different frequencies and for cardiac pacing.</a> J Physiol Lond. 307, 6-7 (1980).</li><li>Takahashi, M., Rana, A., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Portable+electrical+stimulator+for+use+in+small+animals.">Portable electrical stimulator for use in small animals.</a> J Appl Physiol. 74 (2), 942-945 (1993).</li><li>Ljubicic, V., Adhihetty, P. J., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Application+of+animal+models:+chronic+electrical+stimulation-induced+contractile+activity.">Application of animal models: chronic electrical stimulation-induced contractile activity.</a> Can J Appl Physiol. 30 (5), 625-643 (2005).</li><li>Pette, D., Vrbova, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=What+does+chronic+electrical+stimulation+teach+us+about+muscle+plasticity?.">What does chronic electrical stimulation teach us about muscle plasticity?.</a> Muscle Nerve. 22 (6), 666-677 (1999).</li><li>Pette, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Historical+Perspectives:+plasticity+of+mammalian+skeletal+muscle.">Historical Perspectives: plasticity of mammalian skeletal muscle.</a> J Appl Physiol. 90 (3), 1119-1124 (2001).</li><li>Pette, D., Vrbova, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Contribution+of+Neuromuscular+Stimulation+in+Elucidating+Muscle+Plasticity+Revisited.">The Contribution of Neuromuscular Stimulation in Elucidating Muscle Plasticity Revisited.</a> Eur J Transl Myol. 27 (1), 6368 (2017).</li><li>Skorjanc, D., Jaschinski, F., Heine, G., Pette, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sequential+increases+in+capillarization+and+mitochondrial+enzymes+in+low-frequency-stimulated+rabbit+muscle.">Sequential increases in capillarization and mitochondrial enzymes in low-frequency-stimulated rabbit muscle.</a> Am J Physiol. 274 (3 Pt 1), C810-C818 (1998).</li><li>Kim, Y., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regulation+of+the+autophagy+system+during+chronic+contractile+activity-induced+muscle+adaptations.">Regulation of the autophagy system during chronic contractile activity-induced muscle adaptations.</a> Physiol Rep. 5 (14), (2017).</li><li>Memme, J. M., Oliveira, A. N., Hood, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chronology+of+UPR+activation+in+skeletal+muscle+adaptations+to+chronic+contractile+activity.">Chronology of UPR activation in skeletal muscle adaptations to chronic contractile activity.</a> Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 310 (11), C1024-C1036 (2016).</li><li>Ljubicic, V., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+basis+for+an+attenuated+mitochondrial+adaptive+plasticity+in+aged+skeletal+muscle.">Molecular basis for an attenuated mitochondrial adaptive plasticity in aged skeletal muscle.</a> Aging (Albany NY). 1 (9), 818-830 (2009).</li><li>Schwarz, G., Leisner, E., Pette, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Two+telestimulation+systems+for+chronic+indirect+muscle+stimulation+in+caged+rabbits+and+mice.">Two telestimulation systems for chronic indirect muscle stimulation in caged rabbits and mice.</a> Pflugers Arch. 398 (2), 130-133 (1983).</li><li>Simoneau, J. A., Pette, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Species-specific+effects+of+chronic+nerve+stimulation+upon+tibialis+anterior+muscle+in+mouse,+rat,+guinea+pig,+and+rabbit.">Species-specific effects of chronic nerve stimulation upon tibialis anterior muscle in mouse, rat, guinea pig, and rabbit.</a> Pflugers Arch. 412 (1-2), 86-92 (1988).</li><li>Ohlendieck, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+chronic+low-frequency+stimulation+on+Ca2+-regulatory+membrane+proteins+in+rabbit+fast+muscle.">Effects of chronic low-frequency stimulation on Ca2+-regulatory membrane proteins in rabbit fast muscle.</a> Pflugers Arch. 438 (5), 700-708 (1999).</li><li>Brown, M. D., Cotter, M. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

The chronic contractile activity (CCA) model of exercise, through low-frequency muscle stimulation in vivo, is an excellent model for studying muscle phenotypic adaptations to exercise13,24,25,26. As shown in previous studies20,27, CCA is an effective tool by which researchers can control training volumes and frequencies (i...

Skeletal muscle can adapt to exercise training through changes in its bioenergetics and physical structure1. One of the major alterations brought about by endurance training is mitochondrial biogenesis, which can be evaluated by an increase in the expression of mitochondrial components (e.g., cytochrome c oxidase [COX] subunits), as well as the expression of the transcriptional coactivator, PGC-1&#945;2. A growing number of studies have indicated that numerous other factors, including mitochondrial turnover and mitophagy, are also important for muscle adaptations. However, the mechanisms by which acute or chronic exercise regulate these processes in skeletal muscle are&#160;still unclear.
To delineate the pathways which regulate exercise-induced muscle adaptations, various exercise models have been commonly used in rodent studies, including treadmill, running wheel, and swimming exercise. However, these protocols have some limitations in that ~4 - 12 weeks are needed to observe these phenotypic changes3,4,5. As an alternative experimental method, low-frequency stimulation-induced chronic contractile activity (CCA) has been effectively used, as it can lead to muscle adaptations in a substantially shorter period (i.e., up to 7 days) and its effects appear to be comparable to, or even greater than other exercise protocols. Furthermore, the presence of hormonal6, temperature7, and neurological effects8 may make it difficult to understand muscle-specific responses to chronic exercise. For example, thyroid hormone9,10 and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-111 have been identified to mediate training-induced&#160;muscle adaptations, which may also regulate other signaling pathways in skeletal muscle. Notably, CCA-induced effects are minimally regulated by systemic factors, allowing focus to be placed on the direct response of skeletal muscle to contractile activity.
The external unit for CCA was first introduced by Tyler and Wright12, and has been developed with modifications12. In short, the unit is composed of three main parts: an infrared detector that can be turned on and off by exposure to infrared light, a pulse generator, and a pulse indicator (Figure 1). The detailed circuit design of the stimulator unit has been described previously13. The detailed and specific features of CCA can be found in greater depth in a number of review articles14,15,16,17. In brief, the stimulation protocol is designed to activate the common peroneal nerve at low frequency (i.e., 10 Hz), and the innervated muscles (tibialis anterior [TA] and extensor digitorum longus [EDL] muscle) are forced to contract for a predetermined length of time (e.g., 3 - 6 h). Over time, this shifts the aforementioned muscles to a more aerobic phenotype, demonstrated by an increase in both capillary density18 and mitochondrial content19,20,21. Thus, this method is a proven model to mimic some of the major endurance training adaptations within skeletal muscle of rats.
This paper presents a detailed procedure of the electrode implantation surgery to induce CCA so that the researchers can apply this model in their exercise studies. CCA is an excellent model for studying the time course of muscle adaptations, thus providing an effective tool for the investigation of various molecular and signaling events at both early and later time points following the onset of exercise training.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Sprague Dawley Rat</td>
			<td>Charles River</td>
			<td>Strain 400</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chronic contractile activity unit</td>
			<td>Home-made</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CCA unit protective box (3.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm)</td>
			<td>Home-made</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td>Box should be made of opaque material or covered in an opague tape</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Coin lithium ion batteries (3V)</td>
			<td>Panasonic</td>
			<td>CR2016</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Medwire</td>
			<td>Leico Industries</td>
			<td>316SS7/44T</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Solder pin (socket)</td>
			<td>Digi-Key</td>
			<td>ED6218-ND</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zonas porous tape</td>
			<td>Johnson &#38; Johnson</td>
			<td>5104</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Suture silk (Size 5)</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>640G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Suture silk (Size 6)</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>706G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Curved blunt scissor (11.5 cm Length)</td>
			<td>F.S.T.</td>
			<td>14075-11</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Curved blunt scissor (15 cm Length)</td>
			<td>F.S.T.</td>
			<td>14111-15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Delicate haemostatic forceps (16 cm Length)</td>
			<td>Lawton</td>
			<td>06-0230</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scalpel</td>
			<td>Feather</td>
			<td>3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Curved forceps</td>
			<td>F.S.T.</td>
			<td>11052-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stainless-steel rod (30 cm; 7mm diameter)</td>
			<td>Home-made</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td>Rod should have 5 mm slit in one end to hold the wire for tunneling under the skin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Clip applying forceps</td>
			<td>KLS Martin</td>
			<td>20-916-12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Staples (clips)</td>
			<td>Bbraun</td>
			<td>BN507R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Metal hooks/retractor</td>
			<td>Home-made</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Povidone-iodine (500 mL)</td>
			<td>Rougier</td>
			<td>#NPN00172944</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ampicillin sodium</td>
			<td>Novopharm</td>
			<td>#DIN00872644</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Metacam</td>
			<td>Boehringer</td>
			<td>#DIN02240463</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digital multimeter (voltmeter)</td>
			<td>Soar Corporation</td>
			<td>ME-501</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LED digital stroboscope</td>
			<td>Lutron Electronic Enterprise</td>
			<td>DT-2269</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

application of chronic stimulation to study contractile activity-induced rat skeletal muscle phenotypic adaptations

Skeletal muscle is a highly adaptable tissue, as its biochemical and physiological properties are greatly altered in response to chronic exercise. To investigate the underlying mechanisms that bring about various muscle adaptations, a number of exercise protocols such as treadmill, wheel running, and swimming exercise have been used in the animal studies. However, these exercise models require a long period of time to achieve muscle adaptations, which may be also regulated by humoral or neurological factors, thus limiting their applications in studying the muscle-specific contraction-induced adaptations. Indirect low frequency stimulation (10 Hz) to induce chronic contractile activity (CCA) has been used as an alternative model for exercise training, as it can successfully lead to muscle mitochondrial adaptations within 7 days, independent of systemic factors. This paper details the surgical techniques required to apply the treatment of CCA to the skeletal muscle of rats, for widespread application in future studies.

We have shown that chronic contractile activity (CCA) is an effective tool to induce favorable mitochondrial adaptations within skeletal muscle. Rats subjected to 7 days of CCA (6 h per day) display enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis in the stimulated muscle as compared to the unstimulated contralateral (control) hindlimb. This increase in mitochondrial biogenesis is indicated by increased protein expression of PGC-1&#945; (Figure 3A), considered the master re...

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Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations

This protocol describes the use of the chronic contractile activity model of exercise to observe stimulation-induced skeletal muscle adaptations in the rat hindlimb.

Skeletal muscle is a highly adaptable tissue, as its biochemical and physiological properties are greatly altered in response to chronic exercise. To ...

The chronic contractile activity model of exercise is useful to study skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise training stimuli in vivo. In particular, this model elicits the phenotypic adaptations of a six week training protocol within seven days. This method can help answer key questions in the muscle physiology field like mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy, and many other exercise-associated cellular adaptations.The main advantage of this technique is that it allows for the observation of muscle specific adaptations over a short time course of seven days as compared to other exercise training protocols that require several months. The implications of this technique extend toward therapy of muscle atrophy ages because chronic muscle stimulation has been shown to have an effect on ameliorating aging-related muscle weakness. Generally individuals new to this method will struggle because of difficulty landmarking the common peroneal nerve and attaching electrical coils at either end as these require practice and precision.Begin by anesthetizing the rat under one to 3%isoflurane inhalation with oxygen and confirm full sedation by checking the response to a hind limb toe pinch and observing respiratory depth and rate. Apply ocular lubricant on eyes to avoid dryness and place the rat on a heating pad at a low to medium setting. Gently shave the left hind limb as well as a strip around the torso from the back of the neck around behind the forelimbs and across the anterior thorax.Gently wipe shaved areas with iodine and ethyl alcohol to disinfect. With the animal laying on its stomach use a sterile scalpel with a number 10 blade to make a small incision of around 0.5 centimeters on the back of the neck in the center of the shaved region. Then roll the animal onto its right side and make a two to three centimeter cut in the skin of the left hind limb between the dimple of the knee joint and close to the origin of the tail.Using blunt tipped curved surgical scissors dissect the subcutaneous area to around 3.5 to four centimeters separating the skin from the underlying muscle to make a pocket between the open skin and underlying muscle. Next, use surgical scissors to make a small incision of less than 0.5 centimeters on the biceps femoris muscle ensuring that the tips of the scissors are cutting directly down through the muscle. Then gently open the cut area until the internal muscle groups and the common peroneal nerve are visible.Use extreme caution to avoid cutting or damaging the nerve. Next prepare 50 to 60 centimeters of PTFE coated fine stainless steel wire and fold it in half. Hook the folded part of the wire into the slit of a 30 centimeter stainless steel rod.Use the rod to pass the wire through the open pocket of the hind limb up the leg and along the center of the back in an L shape pattern to reach the small incision area at the back of the neck. Fix the window by pulling it open with metal retractors until the size of the window is approximately 1.5 squared centimeters with the peroneal nerve lying in the center of the window. Using a scalpel, carefully strip the ends of the wire by 1.5 centimeters.Wrap the stripped wire ends around a blunted 21 gauge needle five times to make a coil. Once the coils are properly made release the needle from them. Make a knot at the very end of the coil and suture it on the left hand side of the nerve ensuring that the coil is at 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters from the nerve.To secure the coil apply two or three additional sutures along the coil. This step requires considerable practice and patience in order to avoid damaging the nerve and underlying muscle and to achieve all consistent stimulation condition across all animals. It's best to have one skilled researcher to complete all surgical procedures during a study.Apply two or three drops of antibiotic solution and then carefully suture the window using size 5-0 silk. Loosely wind the remaining slack of wire and push into the subcutaneous pocket above the sutured incision of the biceps femoris muscle above the hip. Apply two to three drops of antibiotic solution and close the open skin by stapling.Next, move the animal to the sternal position and cut the wire loop coming out of the incision at the top of the neck to create two wire ends. Using a scalpel, strip of the ends of the wires by 0.5 centimeters. Cut off any frayed wires.Slowly push the stripped parts of the wires into the hole of the pin sockets and using a soldering iron, solder the wires on the pin sockets. Pass the pin connected wire ends through a 4.4 centimeter sterile gauze pad. Then pass the wires through the hole in the base of the stimulator box.Insert the pins into the connection sockets on the CCA unit. Gently put the CCA unit into the chamber using a sticky tack to secure the CCA unit at the bottom of the chamber. Use athletic tape or porous surgical tape to fix the chamber around the shaved torso.Close the top of the chamber with three layers of taping. And finish by wrapping tape around the sides of the stimulator box to secure the box. Check if the CCA is working by exposing the unit to a single pulse of infrared light emitted by a portable infrared strobe light.If the CCA is properly working the hind limb muscles will contract in response to the infrared light. Weigh the animals shortly before beginning the CCA procedure to record a baseline measurement to help identify any severe stress or adverse effects by change of body weight after the CCA procedure. On the day of CCA stimulation turn on the CCA by exposing the stimulator unit to a single pulse of infrared light by a portable infrared strobe light and apply three or six hours of 10 hertz CCA stimulation.Check the stimulation and animal every 30 to 60 minutes. Following the desired CCA period turn off the CCA unit via infrared light exposure. Rats subjected to seven days of CCA for six hours per day display enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis in the stimulated muscle as compared to the unstimulated contralateral hind limb.This increase in mitochondrial biogenesis is indicated by increased protein expression of PGC-1 alpha. Examination of permeabilized muscle fibers to measure mitochondrial respiratory capacity reveals that CCA resulted in an increase in the maximal respiratory capacity of muscle relative to control muscle. Both subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondrial populations increased following seven days of CCA compared to control unstimulated muscle.Adaptations to the autophagy and lysosomal systems can also be brought about by CCA. An increase in the protein abundance of Transcription factor EB the principal regulator of lysosomal biogenesis is observed after CCA at all time points. Following this procedure other methods like general subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injections can be performed in order to answer additional questions such as estimation of autophagy flux with colchicine treatment.After watching this video you should have a good understanding of how to apply the current chronic contractile activity model in order to examine muscle phenotypic changes following endurance training.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

6.7K vistas.  York University. The chronic contractile activity model of exercise is useful to study skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise training stimuli in vivo. In particular, this model elicits the phenotypic adaptations of a six week training protocol within seven days. This method can help answer key questions in the muscle physiology field like mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy, and many other exercise-associated cellular adaptations.The main advantage of this technique is that it allows for the observat...