Non-invasive Assessment of Dorsiflexor Muscle Function in Mice

Abstract

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 of a potential therapeutic treatment.

Peripheral and respiratory muscle impairment during murine acute lung injury

“…Muscle force‐generation capacity depends on muscle mass, specific contractility, and neuromuscular transmission. In this animal model, a reduction in hindlimb dorsiflexion absolute force (mainly determined by TA contraction) (Gerlinger‐Romero et al, 2019) was previously reported, but without affection of specific force (Files et al, 2012). However, in our study different patterns of muscle function compromise were observed.…”

The human genetic variant rs6190 unveils Foxc1 and Arid5a as novel pro-metabolic targets of the glucocorticoid receptor in muscle.

“…smaller weight with lower fat mass contribution and higher lean mass contribution (Figure 1B) . We tested for exercise tolerance through treadmill exercise, grip strength and muscle force (in vivo hindlimb dorsiflexion assay [26]). Compared to GR wt/wt , GR R24K/R24K mice exhibited increased values of treadmill work until exhaustion, bilateral forelimb grip strength normalized to body mass and max hindlimb dorsiflexion force (Figure 1B) .…”

The Influence of Supplemental Dietary Linoleic Acid on Skeletal Muscle Contractile Function in a Rodent Model of Barth Syndrome

“…It is currently unknown if the doxycycline-induced knockdown of Taz in other muscles with similar oxidative capacities as soleus, such as red gastrocnemius and vastus intermedius ( Bloemberg and Quadrilatero, 2012 ), would show similar impaired contractile kinetics. Future research should examine whole hindlimb contractile properties ( Gerlinger-Romero et al, 2019 ) in TazKD mice to determine if the impaired contractile kinetics is expressed at the level of the whole hindlimb.…”