Muscle Physiology Applications2021-10-27T11:51:23-04:00

Muscle Physiology Applications

Aurora Scientific’s muscle physiology products are used in a variety of research protocols and assays to study skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle from cell to whole tissue.  Whether in vivo, in vitro or in situ, physiologists can precisely measure various indices of function including force, length, and ratiometric calcium. They can also calculate important functional data such as twitch, tetanus, fatigue, force-frequency, force-velocity, stiffness and work loops, to name a few.

Popular basic science and preclinical applications of muscle physiology and function research are listed below.

Exercise & Metabolism

From studying how different athletes perform or recover to quantifying an animal model’s resistance to metabolic fatigue, the field of exercise and metabolic physiology encompasses a broad range of study. Aurora Scientific has solutions to address these different areas of inquiry whether in murine or other animal models, or even with human samples.  Powerful software combined with precise instruments for studying whole animal, whole muscle and single fiber samples make Aurora Scientific the leader in providing Exercise Physiologists with the means to understand muscle performance at the highest level.

Common Applications:

  • human performance
  • fatigue
  • injury rehabilitation
  • training & exercise

Cardiology

For nearly 20 years Aurora Scientific has been at the forefront of cardiac tissue mechanics research. Aurora Scientific equipment is used by many of the world’s top researchers studying isolated heart tissue, fibers and even cells. We understand that heart muscle is different from other types of muscle and that its study presents unique challenges. Whether measuring force in cardiac myocytes or quantifying the mechanical properties of iPSC-derived cardiac scaffolds, Aurora Scientific has the expertise and the instruments to support the most demanding of cardiac mechanics experiments.

Common Applications:

  • myosin thick & thin filaments
  • myofibrillar protein function
  • cardiac scaffolds & constructs
  • induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiac myocytes
  • cross-bridge cycling kinetics
  • artificial cardiac constructs
  • cardiac tissue engineering

Muscle Pathology & Wasting

As the largest generation in history enters their senior years, research into muscle pathologies has come into greater focus. These can include rare conditions like muscular dystrophy or more commonly, muscle atrophy due to cancer or disuse after injury. To develop drugs and therapies that combat this broad group of myopathies, functional measurements of muscle are often required in animal models. Aurora Scientific has worked with researchers in this community to provide tools that allow the study of muscles like the diaphragm as well as non-invasive assays to perform longitudinal tests on an individual animal as a disease or therapy progresses. We are proud of our long history working with the leading researchers and academics in this field and proud of the role our muscle pathology research instruments have played.

Common Applications:

  • Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)
  • cachexia & sarcopenia
  • gerontology & aging
  • muscle atrophy
  • spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
  • myotonia
  • glycogen storage disease type II (Pompe disease)
  • myotubular myopathy

Molecular Biology & Pharmacology

The study of animal models is one of the foundational pillars of molecular biology research. Aurora Scientific understands that your animal model is unique, and that characterizing its molecular phenotype can be challenging. It is important that the mechanism of drug action be understood in order to comprehend complex tissue responses. We have the solutions to study gross whole body physiology or the function of specific muscles to make characterizing the response of your animal model to pharmaceuticals both precise and efficient.

Common Applications:

  • knockout mouse function
  • signaling and transduction pathways
  • muscle regulatory proteins
  • stretch-activated channels

General Muscle Physiology

Aurora Scientific produces transducers specially designed for measuring force, velocity, sarcomere length and other contractile properties in muscle.  Integration with specially designed apparatus and software simplifies complex characterization of muscle properties. No matter what building block of muscle tissue you use as your model, from the myofibril to whole muscle groups and connective tissue, Aurora Scientific has a solution for you.

Common Applications:

  • muscle contractile properties
  • muscle architecture
  • muscle metabolism
  • fiber typing
  • mechanical properties of muscle

Comparative Muscle Physiology

The study of how living things move and are shaped by their environment often requires specialized tools and assays. Aurora Scientific has proven instruments engineered to the highest standards of accuracy and precision to uncover the diverse functional characteristics of muscle in your unique animal models. Measure complex muscle contractile properties from leeches, zebrafish and even cheetahs with our diverse, high-performance muscle physiology equipment.

Common Applications:

  • muscle energetics
  • muscle morphology
  • locomotion
  • bio-inspiration
  • invertebrate muscle
  • amphibian muscle
  • reptilian muscle
  • mammalian muscle

Explore Muscle Physiology Content

Moving Mountains: Recent Feats in Muscle Physiology

As we March towards the 2024 American Physiology Summit, this month’s publication review covers recent advancements in the realm of muscle physiology, including the development of an improved resistance training method, the long-term musculoskeletal consequences of chemotherapy, and the characterization of crossbridge kinetics in cardiac trabeculae. Taken together, these studies reveal a promising trend of breakthroughs in muscle physiology.

Tackling the Heart of the Issue: Advances in Cardiovascular Research

February notably marks “Heart Month”, aiming to highlight the importance of cardiovascular health and its critical implications on our overall wellbeing. Tackling the heart of the issue, several cardiovascular studies stand out as key players within the preclinical research landscape. The following publication review covers recent advancements in the field, including a promising therapeutic drug candidate for heart failure as well as novel insights into the cardiovascular biology of Marfan syndrome and muscle contraction regulation.

Molecular Deep Dives in Force Production

As we launch full force into 2024, studies exploring the molecular underpinnings of force production in mice have blazed the trail of functional muscular research. From calcium dynamics during muscle contraction, to muscle impairments in myotonic dystrophy, and the effects of running on muscle mass in a dystrophic mouse model, January's novel insights into muscle function and regulation have important implications on our understanding of muscle physiology and health.

Best of 2023: Across Countries and Applications

2023 has proved to be a particularly fruitful year for scientific discovery, with a multitude of pioneering studies spanning continents and disciplines. From the intricate workings of muscle physiology in Switzerland to the nuanced understanding of migraine mechanisms in the USA, the discernment of mosquito olfactory processing in India, and the innovative strides in sustainable materials science in Germany and Austria, this year's research highlights embody the spirit of global collaboration and scientific ingenuity. We hope that, by highlighting the multitude of ways our instruments provide precise and reliable data, future and current researchers can draw inspiration for new and innovative ways to collaborate across borders.

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