This work was supported by AHA SDG 10SDG2630086 to Zhao X, RO1-AR061385 to Ma J and GO Grant RC2AR05896 to Brotto M.

<ol>
	<li>Winegrad, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+intracellular+calcium+movements+in+excitation-contraction+coupling+in+skeletal+muscle.">Role of intracellular calcium movements in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle.</a> Fed. 24, 1146-1152 (1965).</li><li>Sandow, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Excitation-contraction+coupling+in+skeletal+muscle.">Excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle.</a> Pharmacol. Rev. 17, 265-320 (1965).</li><li>Thornton, A. 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No conflicts of interest declared.

Measurement of contractile force and fatigability is important for the overall evaluation of skeletal muscle function. The major purpose of this assay is to identify changes in muscle force and fatiguing properties under certain pathological conditions, such as sarcopenia and muscle fatigue, and to test the effect of drugs/reagents on muscle contractility. Since the muscle force is closely related with intracellular Ca2+ release, extracellular Ca2+ entry and the crosstalk between these two, we can a...

Skeletal muscles attach to bones of the skeleton and generate contractile forces under the control of the central nervous system. Excitation-Contraction coupling (ECC) refers to the process of converting an electrical stimulus to a mechanical response. Ca2+ signaling is an essential component of the contractile function in skeletal muscle. Effective Ca2+ mobilization from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is an important component for ECC in muscle cells1, 2, and changes in intracellular Ca2+ signaling underlie the corresponding contractile dysfunction in a number of muscle diseases3-5. Proper assessment of muscle contractility is essential and complimentary to Ca2+ imaging and other assays to gain insights into skeletal muscle function, not just at the contractile level, but also at the kinetic level. Force and speed can also be obtained to inform the important property of muscle power and the status of the ECC process under different physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
This fecund field of research has a very rich history and many theories of muscle contraction appeared over two millennia6. Modern muscle research probably begins in 1674-1682 with the microscopic observation of cross-striations and myofibrils in muscle fibers by Leeuwenhoek6. Almost a century later, Luigi Galvani observed that frog muscle contracts vigorously when its nerve is touched with scalpel during a spark discharge from a distant electric machine7-9. Contraction could also be produced by connecting the leg nerve to the muscle through a metal conductor. The details of the complex electrical signaling mechanism advocated by Galvani were eventually formulated by Hodgkin, Huxley and Katz in their famous equation10, 11 that became the foundation of electrophysiology. The remarkable observations of Ringer on the effects of extracellular Ca2+ on the contractility of frog heart and skeletal muscles12-15 represent the first major step in the recognition of Ca2+ as a key regulator of muscle contractility16, 17. From the 1980's to the present day a burst of discoveries in the muscle contractility field was realized due to the introduction of muscle contractility and fatigability protocols in murine skeletal muscles18. Jones and Edwards were the first to suggest that low frequency intermittent fatigue (exercise-induced reduction in force)19 was associated with changes in the ECC machinery and not the contractile apparatus. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, Kolkeck et al20, Kolbeck and Nosek 21, and Reid 22 were using diaphragm muscle from rodent models to study the effects of theophyllines, cortiosterone, and free radicals on skeletal muscle contractility, while Brooks and Faulkner were the first to report on measurements of repeated force and power measurements in fast- and slow-muscles from mice22. In addition, Lannegren, Westerblad, Lamb, and Westerblad were the first to directly link ex vivo contractility with intracellular Ca2+ regulation and started questioning the role of acidosis in muscle fatigue23, 24.
Our laboratories have significantly contributed since the early 2000's towards understanding of novel genes with modulatory and regulatory roles on muscle ECC with critical roles in muscle contractility, fatigability, and aging by using a combination of intact mouse muscle contractility studies, intracellular Ca2+ monitoring in intact and skinned muscle fibers and molecular-genetic manipulations3-5, 25-29.
Here we detailed the experimental protocol for measuring contractility of murine isolated soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, which correspond to a mostly slow-oxidative (type I and IIa muscle fibers) and a mostly fast-glyocolytic muscle (type IIb and IIx muscle fibers) with distinct contractile properties. In this protocol, intact muscle-tendon complexes were isolated and bathed in an ADI PowerLab Radnotti chamber system supplied with either pure oxygen or a mixture of oxygen (95%) and CO2 (5%). Contractile forces were generated by electrical stimulations from a Grass stimulator and detected using a force transducer that was integrated with an ADI PowerLab/400 system, allowing customization of macro routines to control the acquisition, collection, digitization, and storage of data. This setup can measure muscle force, muscle power, as well as the force vs. frequency relationship, muscle fatigue, recovery from muscle fatigue, speed and overall kinetic properties of muscle contraction. In addition, the effects of drugs on muscle contraction can be monitored through these experiments.
Advantages of this method lay in removing the neuronal and vascular components away from the skeletal muscle, allowing direct assessment of the intrinsic properties of contracting muscle. In addition, ex vivo contractility assays allow manipulation of the extracellular milieu surrounding the isolated muscles, which enables the use of pharmacological manipulations of various ion permeation channels and transporters in order to define their physiological roles for skeletal muscle function.
This ex vivo system has allowed us to recently discover a distinct alternan behavior in certain mutant muscle preparations, which were linked to altered intracellular Ca2+ handling properties4. Alternans are defined as fluctuating burst episodes of contractile force during the decline phase of the fatiguing profile. During these events contractile forces momentarily increase above its previous level of force during fatiguing stimulation, perhaps because either more Ca2+ is being released or the contractile machinery has become more sensitive to Ca2+&nbsp;&nbsp;30. Treatment of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), a reversible blocker of sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), caffeine, an agonist of ryanodine channel (RyR) and repeated fatiguing stimulations can all induce mechanical alternans4, suggesting that alternans are directly related to modulation of the E-C coupling process. Demonstration of the method to induce and record mechanic alternans in in vitro contractility setup serves as an example to show the diversified experimental parameters that could be obtained with this system or similar ones, based on individual research interests.
This method may be of interest for researchers studying muscle physiology. Similar setup can also be used for isolated skeletal muscle-tendon/ligament complexes from other anatomical locations, as well as for single fibers and muscle strips.

<table><tbody><tr><td>2-APB</td><td>Tocris</td><td>1224</td><td>Blocker of a number of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; entry channels including SOC and TRP etc.</td></tr><tr><td>SKF96365</td><td>Sigma</td><td>SKF-96365</td><td>Blocker of a number of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; entry channels including SOC and receptor-mediated Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; entry etc.</td></tr><tr><td>BTP-2</td><td>Millipore</td><td>203890-5MG</td><td>Relatively specific SOC blocker</td></tr><tr><td>CPA</td><td>Sigma</td><td>C1530</td><td>Reversible SERCA blocker</td></tr><tr><td>caffeine</td><td>Sigma</td><td>C0750</td><td>Fast action RyR agonist</td></tr><tr><td>Radnoti Four Unit Tissue Organ Bath System</td><td>Radnoti</td><td>159920</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Combination Tissue Support/Stimulating Electrode</td><td>Radnoti</td><td>160151</td><td>Vertical Zig Zag Type with tissue support</td></tr><tr><td>Quad Bridge Amp</td><td>ADInstruments</td><td>FE224</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PowerLab/400</td><td>ADInstruments</td><td></td><td>This product is no longer available. Choose other version of the data acquisition system.</td></tr><tr><td>Force Transducers (5 mg - 25 g)</td><td>ADInstruments</td><td>MLT0201/RAD</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chart v4.02</td><td>ADInstruments</td><td></td><td>LabChart 7.3 is the latest version of Chart software.</td></tr><tr><td>S8800 Dual Pulse Digital Stimulator</td><td>GRASS TECHNOLOGIES</td><td></td><td>This product is no longer available. S88X Dual Output Square Pulse Stimulator is a newer stimulator.</td></tr><tr><td>RF Transformer Isolation Unit</td><td>GRASS TECHNOLOGIES</td><td>Model SIU5</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

ex vivo assessment of contractility, fatigability and alternans in isolated skeletal muscles

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 Ca2+ 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 Ca2+ 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.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles at JoVE.com

Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles

We describe a method to directly measure muscle force, muscle power, contractile kinetics and fatigability of isolated skeletal muscles in an in vitro system using field stimulation. Valuable information on Ca2+ handling properties and contractile machinery of the muscle can be obtained using different stimulating protocols.

Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles

 
Described here is a method to measure contractility of isolated skeletal muscles. Parameters such as muscle force, muscle power, contractile kinetics, ...

ex-vivo-assessment-contractility-fatigability-alternans-isolated

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

23.7K Views.  UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. We beschrijven een methode om direct te meten spierkracht, spierkracht, contractiele kinetiek en vermoeidheid van geïsoleerde skeletspieren in een In vitro Systeem met behulp van veld stimulatie. Waardevolle informatie over Ca 2 + Hanteren eigenschappen en contractiele machines van de spier kan worden verkregen met behulp van verschillende stimulerende protocollen.

Video: Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles

Myo-mechanical Analysis of Isolated Skeletal Muscle

To assess the in vivo effects of therapeutic interventions for the treatment of muscle disease 1,2,3, quantitative methods are needed that measure force generation and fatigability in treated muscle. We describe a detailed approach to evaluating myo-mechanical properties in freshly explanted hindlimb muscle from the mouse. We describe the atraumatic harvest of mouse extensor digitorum longus muscle, mounting the muscle in a muscle strip myograph (Model 820MS; Danish Myo Technology), and the measurement of maximal twitch and tetanic tension, contraction time, and half-relaxation time, using a square pulse stimulator (Model S48; Grass Technologies). Using these measurements, we demonstrate the calculation of specific twitch and tetanic tension normalized to muscle cross-sectional area, the twitch-to-tetanic tension ratio, the force-frequency relationship curve and the low frequency fatigue curve 4. This analysis provides a method for quantitative comparison between therapeutic interventions in mouse models of muscle disease 1,2,3,5, as well as comparison of the effects of genetic modification on muscle function 6,7,8,9.

To assess the in vivo effects of therapeutic interventions for muscle disease, methods are needed to quantitate force generation and fatigability in treated muscle. We detail an approach to evaluating myo-mechanical properties in explanted mouse hindlimb muscle. This analysis provides a robust approach to quantitating the effects of genetic modification on muscle function, as well as comparison of therapies in mouse models of muscle disease.

To assess the in vivo effects of therapeutic interventions for the treatment of muscle disease 1,2,3, quantitative methods are needed that measure force ...

Medicine

Utilization of Microscale Silicon Cantilevers to Assess Cellular Contractile Function In Vitro

The development of more predictive and biologically relevant in vitro assays is predicated on the advancement of versatile cell culture systems which facilitate the functional assessment of the seeded cells. To that end, microscale cantilever technology offers a platform with which to measure the contractile functionality of a range of cell types, including skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells, through assessment of contraction induced substrate bending. Application of multiplexed cantilever arrays provides the means to develop moderate to high-throughput protocols for assessing drug efficacy and toxicity, disease phenotype and progression, as well as neuromuscular and other cell-cell interactions. This manuscript provides the details for fabricating reliable cantilever arrays for this purpose, and the methods required to successfully culture cells on these surfaces. Further description is provided on the steps necessary to perform functional analysis of contractile cell types maintained on such arrays using a novel laser and photo-detector system. The representative data provided highlights the precision and reproducible nature of the analysis of contractile function possible using this system, as well as the wide range of studies to which such technology can be applied. Successful widespread adoption of this system could provide investigators with the means to perform rapid, low cost functional studies in vitro, leading to more accurate predictions of tissue performance, disease development and response to novel therapeutic treatment.

Utilization of Microscale Silicon Cantilevers to Assess Cellular Contractile Function In Vitro

This protocol describes the use of microscale silicon cantilevers as pliable culture surfaces for measuring the contractility of muscle cells in vitro. Cellular contraction causes cantilever bending, which can be measured, recorded, and converted into readouts of force, providing a non-invasive and scalable system for measuring contractile function in vitro.

The development of more predictive and biologically relevant in vitro assays is predicated on the advancement of versatile cell culture systems which ...

Bioengineering

Assessing Functional Metrics of Skeletal Muscle Health in Human Skeletal Muscle Microtissues

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models of skeletal muscle are a valuable advancement in biomedical research as they afford the opportunity to study skeletal muscle reformation and function in a scalable format that is amenable to experimental manipulations. 3D muscle culture systems are desirable as they enable scientists to study skeletal muscle ex vivo in the context of human cells. 3D in vitro&#160;models closely mimic aspects of the native tissue structure of adult skeletal muscle. However, their universal application is limited by the availability of platforms that are simple to fabricate, cost and user-friendly, and yield relatively high quantities of human skeletal muscle tissues. Additionally, since skeletal muscle plays an important functional role that is impaired over time in many disease states, an experimental platform for microtissue studies is most practical when minimally invasive calcium transient and contractile force measurements can be conducted directly within the platform itself. In this protocol, the fabrication of a 96-well platform known as &#39;MyoTACTIC&#39;, and en masse production of 3D human skeletal muscle microtissues (hMMTs) is described. In addition, the methods for a minimally invasive application of electrical stimulation that enables repeated measurements of skeletal muscle force and calcium handling of each microtissue over time are reported.

This manuscript describes a detailed protocol to produce arrays of 3D human skeletal muscle microtissues and minimally invasive downstream in situ assays of function, including contractile force and calcium handling analyses.

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models of skeletal muscle are a valuable advancement in biomedical research as they afford the opportunity to study ...

Non-invasive Assessment of Dorsiflexor Muscle Function in Mice

Assessment of skeletal muscle contractile function is an important measurement for both clinical and research purposes. Numerous conditions can negatively affect skeletal muscle. This can result in a loss of muscle mass (atrophy) and/or loss of muscle quality (reduced force per unit of muscle mass), both of which are prevalent in chronic disease, muscle-specific disease, immobilization, and aging (sarcopenia). Skeletal muscle function in animals can be evaluated by a range of different tests. All tests have limitations related to the physiological testing environment, and the selection of a specific test often depends on the nature of the experiments. Here, we describe an in vivo, non-invasive technique involving a helpful and easy assessment of force frequency-curve (FFC) in mice that can be performed on the same animal over time. This permits monitoring of disease progression and/or efficacy&#160;of a potential therapeutic treatment.

Measurement of rodent skeletal muscle contractile function is a useful tool that can be used to track disease progression as well as efficacy of therapeutic intervention. We describe here the non-invasive, in vivo assessment of the dorsiflexor muscles that can be repeated over time in the same mouse.

Assessment of skeletal muscle contractile function is an important measurement for both clinical and research purposes. Numerous conditions can negatively ...

In Vitro Assessment of Cardiac Function Using Skinned Cardiomyocytes

In this article, we describe the steps required to isolate a single permeabilized (&#34;skinned&#34;) cardiomyocyte and attach it to a force-measuring apparatus and a motor to perform functional studies. These studies will allow measurement of cardiomyocyte stiffness (passive force) and its activation with different calcium (Ca2+)-containing solutions to determine, amongst others: maximum force development, myofilament Ca2+-sensitivity (pCa50), cooperativity (nHill) and the rate of force redevelopment (ktr). This method also enables determination of the effects of drugs acting directly on myofilaments and of the expression of exogenous recombinant proteins on both active and passive properties of cardiomyocytes. Clinically, skinned cardiomyocyte studies highlight the pathophysiology of many myocardial diseases and allow in vitro assessment of the impact of therapeutic interventions targeting the myofilaments. Altogether, this technique enables the clarification of cardiac pathophysiology by investigating correlations between in vitro and in vivo parameters in animal models and human tissue obtained during open heart or transplant surgery.

This protocol aims to describe step-by-step the technique of extraction and assessment of cardiac function using skinned cardiomyocytes. This methodology allows measurement and acutemodulation of myofilament function using small frozen biopsies that can be collected from different cardiac locations, from mice to men.

In this article, we describe the steps required to isolate a single permeabilized (&#34;skinned&#34;) cardiomyocyte and attach it to a force-measuring ...

Contractility Measurements on Isolated Papillary Muscles for the Investigation of Cardiac Inotropy in Mice

Papillary muscle isolated from adult mouse hearts can be used to study cardiac contractility during different physiological/pathological conditions. The contractile characteristics can be evaluated independently of external influences such as vascular tonus or neurohumoral status. It depicts a scientific approach between single cell measurements with isolated cardiac myocytes and in vivo studies like echocardiography. Thus, papillary muscle preparations serve as an excellent model to study cardiac physiology/pathophysiology and can be used for investigations like the modulation by pharmacological agents or the exploration of transgenic animal models. Here, we describe a method of isolating the murine left anterior papillary muscle to investigate cardiac contractility in an organ bath setup. In contrast to a muscle strip preparation isolated from the ventricular wall, the papillary muscle can be prepared in toto without damaging the muscle tissue severely. The organ bath setup consists of several temperature-controlled, gassed and electrode-equipped organ bath chambers. The isolated papillary muscle is fixed in the organ bath chamber and electrically stimulated. The evoked twitch force is recorded using a pressure transducer and parameters such as twitch force amplitude and twitch kinetics are analyzed. Different experimental protocols can be performed to investigate the calcium- and frequency-dependent contractility as well as dose-response curves of contractile agents such as catecholamines or other pharmaceuticals. Additionally, pathologic conditions like acute ischemia can be simulated.

Murine left ventricular papillary muscle can be used to investigate cardiac contractility in vitro. This article describes in detail the isolation and experimental protocols to study cardiac contractile characteristics.

Papillary muscle isolated from adult mouse hearts can be used to study cardiac contractility during different physiological/pathological conditions. The ...

Analysis of Cardiac Contractile Dysfunction and Ca2+ Transients in Rodent Myocytes

Contractile dysfunction and Ca2+ transients are often analyzed at the cellular level as part of a comprehensive assessment of cardiac-induced injury and/or remodeling. One approach for assessing these functional alterations utilizes unloaded shortening and Ca2+ transient analyses in primary adult cardiac myocytes. For this approach, adult myocytes are isolated by collagenase digestion, made Ca2+ tolerant, and then adhered to laminin-coated coverslips, followed by electrical pacing in serum-free media. The general protocol utilizes adult rat cardiac myocytes but can be readily adjusted for primary myocytes from other species. Functional alterations in myocytes from injured hearts can be compared to sham myocytes and/or to in vitro therapeutic treatments. The methodology includes the essential elements needed for myocyte pacing, along with the cell chamber and platform components. The detailed protocol for this approach incorporates the steps for measuring unloaded shortening by sarcomere length detection and cellular Ca2+ transients measured with the ratiometric indicator Fura-2 AM, as well as for raw data analysis.

Analysis of Cardiac Contractile Dysfunction and Ca2+ Transients in Rodent Myocytes

A set of protocols are presented that describe the measurement of contractile function via sarcomere length detection along with calcium (Ca2+) transient measurement in isolated rat myocytes. The application of this approach for studies in animal models of heart failure is also included.

Contractile dysfunction and Ca2+ transients are often analyzed at the cellular level as part of a comprehensive assessment of cardiac-induced injury ...

Measurement of Heart Contractility in Isolated Adult Human Primary Cardiomyocytes

The evaluation of changes in heart contractility is essential during preclinical development for new cardiac- and non-cardiac-targeted compounds. This paper describes a protocol for assessing changes in contractility in adult human primary ventricular cardiomyocytes utilizing the MyoBLAZER, a non-invasive optical method that preserves the normal physiology and pharmacology of the cells. This optical recording method continuously measures contractility transients from multiple cells in parallel, providing both medium-throughput and valuable information for each individual cell in the field of view, enabling the real-time tracking of drug effects. The cardiomyocyte contractions are induced by paced electrical field stimulation, and the acquired bright field images are fed to an image-processing software that measures the sarcomere shortening across multiple cardiomyocytes. This method rapidly generates different endpoints related to the kinetics of contraction and relaxation phases, and the resulting data can then be interpreted in relation to different concentrations of a test article. This method is also employed in the late stages of preclinical development to perform follow-up mechanistic studies to support ongoing clinical studies. Thus, the adult human primary cardiomyocyte-based model combined with the optical system for continuous contractility monitoring has the potential to contribute to a new era of in vitro cardiac data translatability in preclinical medical therapy development.

This protocol describes how to measure contractility in adult human primary cardiomyocytes from donor hearts with the MyoBLAZER system, a reliable platform for assessing drug-induced changes in contractility during preclinical development.

The evaluation of changes in heart contractility is essential during preclinical development for new cardiac- and non-cardiac-targeted compounds. This ...

Isolating Myofibrils from Skeletal Muscle Biopsies and Determining Contractile Function with a Nano-Newton Resolution Force Transducer

Striated muscle cells are indispensable for the activity of humans and animals. Single muscle fibers are comprised of myofibrils, which consist of serially linked sarcomeres, the smallest contractile units in muscle. Sarcomeric dysfunction contributes to muscle weakness in patients with mutations in genes encoding for sarcomeric proteins. The study of myofibril mechanics allows for the assessment of actin-myosin interactions without potential confounding effects of damaged, adjacent myofibrils when measuring the contractility of single muscle fibers. Ultrastructural damage and misalignment of myofibrils might contribute to impaired contractility. If structural damage is present in the myofibrils, they likely break during the isolation procedure or during the experiment. Furthermore, studies in myofibrils provide the assessment of actin-myosin interactions in the presence of the geometrical constraints of the sarcomeres. For instance, measurements in myofibrils can elucidate whether myofibrillar dysfunction is the primary effect of a mutation in a sarcomeric protein. In addition, perfusion with calcium solutions or compounds is almost instant due to the small diameter of the myofibril. This makes myofibrils eminently suitable to measure the rates of activation and relaxation during force production. The protocol described in this paper employs an optical force probe based on the principle of a Fabry-P&#233;rot interferometer capable of measuring forces in the nano-Newton range, coupled to a piezo length motor and a fast-step perfusion system. This setup enables the study of myofibril mechanics with high resolution force measurements.

Presented here is a protocol to assess the contractile properties of striated muscle myofibrils with nano-Newton resolution. The protocol employs a setup with an interferometry-based, optical force probe. This setup generates data with a high signal-to-noise ratio and enables the assessment of the contractile kinetics of myofibrils.

Striated muscle cells are indispensable for the activity of humans and animals. Single muscle fibers are comprised of myofibrils, which consist of ...

High-Throughput Contractile Measurements of Hydrogel-Embedded Intact Mouse Muscle Fibers Using an Optics-Based System

In vitro cell culture is a powerful tool to assess cellular processes and test therapeutic strategies. For skeletal muscle, the most common approaches involve either differentiating myogenic progenitor cells into immature myotubes or the short-term ex vivo culture of isolated individual muscle fibers. A key benefit of ex vivo culture over in vitro is the retention of the complex cellular architecture and contractile characteristics. Here, we detail an experimental protocol for the isolation of intact flexor digitorum brevis muscle fibers from mice and their subsequent ex vivo culture. In this protocol, muscle fibers are embedded in a fibrin-based and basement membrane matrix hydrogel to immobilize the fibers and maintain their contractile function. We then describe methods to assess the muscle fiber contractile function using an optics-based, high-throughput contractility system. The embedded muscle fibers are electrically stimulated to induce contractions, after which their functional properties, such as sarcomere shortening and contractile velocity, are assessed using optics-based quantification. Coupling muscle fiber culture with this&#160;system allows for high-throughput testing of the effects of pharmacological agents on contractile function and ex vivo studies of genetic muscle disorders. Finally, this protocol can also be adapted to study dynamic cellular processes in muscle fibers using live-cell microscopy.

Skeletal muscle function can be assessed by quantifying the contractility of isolated muscle fibers, traditionally using laborious, low-throughput approaches. Here, we describe an optics-based, high-throughput method to quantify the contractility of hydrogel-embedded muscle fibers. This approach has applications for drug screening and therapeutic development.

In vitro cell culture is a powerful tool to assess cellular processes and test therapeutic strategies. For skeletal muscle, the most common approaches ...

Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles

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