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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research article

Non-invasive muscle contraction assay to study rodent models of sarcopenia

Authors: Chi-Sung Chiu, Hans Weber, Sharon Adamski, Albert Rauch, Michael A Gentile, Stephen E Alves, Gary Kath, Osvaldo Flores, Hilary A Wilkinson

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Age-related sarcopenia is a disease state of loss of muscle mass and strength that affects physical function and mobility leading to falls, fractures, and disability. The need for therapies to treat age-related sarcopenia has attracted intensive preclinical research. To facilitate the discovery of these therapies, we have developed a non-invasive rat muscle functional assay system to efficiently measure muscle force and evaluate the efficacy of drug candidates.

Methods

The lower leg muscles of anesthetized rats are artificially stimulated with surface electrodes on the knee holders and the heel support, causing the lower leg muscles to push isometric pedals that are attached to force transducers. We developed a stimulation protocol to perform a fatigability test that reveals functional muscle parameters like maximal force, the rate of fatigue, fatigue-resistant force, as well as a fatigable muscle force index. The system is evaluated in a rat aging model and a rat glucocorticoid-induced muscle loss model

Results

The aged rats were generally weaker than adult rats and showed a greater reduction in their fatigable force when compared to their fatigue-resistant force. Glucocorticoid treated rats mostly lost fatigable force and fatigued at a higher rate, indicating reduced force from glycolytic fibers with reduced energy reserves.

Conclusions

The involuntary contraction assay is a reliable system to assess muscle function in rodents and can be applied in preclinical research, including age-related sarcopenia and other myopathy.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Non-invasive muscle contraction assay to study rodent models of sarcopenia
Authors
Chi-Sung Chiu
Hans Weber
Sharon Adamski
Albert Rauch
Michael A Gentile
Stephen E Alves
Gary Kath
Osvaldo Flores
Hilary A Wilkinson
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-12-246

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