806D: in-situ Rat Apparatus

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The 806D rat apparatus allows researchers to provide the “complete picture” of muscle properties (in-vitro, in-situ and in-vivo) in a single, easy to use test system.

The 806D platform can be quickly configured to include a 25mL bath plate, allowing researchers to assess isolated, intact muscle contractions in-vitro (using a lever arm). Alternatively, this bath can be removed and replaced with an animal and limb plate for measuring contractions in-situ (with a lever arm) or in-vivo (with a foot plate). The moveable animal platform allows clear access to the animal while positioning the limb.

Several mount locations are available for a variety of limb clamps suited to the researcher’s needs. The platform can also be temperature controlled to ensure body temperature is regulated.

The associated lever system (300E series) is mounted on translation stages to allow accurate positioning of the lever with respect to the limb. In addition, the motor mount contains a fine translation stage for setting resting tension. The 806D apparatus is engineered to last, utilizing corrosion resistant material and a T-slot design for future expansion.

in-vitro, in-situ and in-vivo muscle experimentation in one platform
designed specifically for rat applications
simple to switch between configurations
flexible limb clamping

adjustable animal platform with option for temperature control using a circulating bath
dual coarse/fine translation stage
T-slot design for flexibility and expansion
corrosion resistant materials

Variant

in-vitro Bath Variant – 806D-IV in-vitro Rat Apparatus:
Perform in-vitro experiments on intact rat muscle in the 25 mL horizontal bath

Stories of Success

1305A – Footplate Configuration for Rats Invaluable to the Study of Muscle Damage

CHALLENGE

In 2012, Marius Locke at the University of Toronto had been studying skeletal muscle damage and the role that heat shock proteins (HSPs) play in protecting the muscle from stress induced damage, such as exercise.

Dr. Locke was looking for equipment that could reliably and repeatedly induce muscle damage in his rats while accurately quantifying force production and recovery.

SOLUTION

Our 1305A system was suggested for the job as it had the ability to perform the kinds of repeated contractions that Dr. Locke was looking to accomplish. It was first implemented piecemeal to integrate with some existing equipment in the laboratory, but because of its ease of use, the remaining Aurora Scientific pieces were added for a complete system. Aurora Scientific technical support helped craft the best protocols for Dr. Locke’s experiments and soon thereafter the first cohort of rats was tested.

RESULTS

The system has helped Dr. Locke and his graduate students publish valuable findings about the protective role of HSPs in damaged muscle. In addition, Dr. Locke established an important rat model of standard human exercise protocols to gain valuable, physiologically relevant data which may one day be applicable to athletes and people alike.

806D – Animal Platform An Important Tool for Further Regenerative and Translational Medicine Efforts

CHALLENGE

In 2013 Dr. George Christ, then of WFIRM, was studying links between gene expression and functional changes in muscle and other tissues.

He had previously been using other Aurora Scientific equipment to test the functional phenotype of various knock out and transgenic mice in his lab applying the in-vivo footplate technique. However, searching for small and subtle changes in muscle function between wild-type and transgenic animals could be wiped out with inconsistent experimental technique.

SOLUTION

Shortly after his students began using the Aurora Scientific 806D for their rat studies, Matt visited Dr. Christ’s lab to demonstrate some of the finer points of the 806D apparatus. These included using the associated limb clamps for proper joint and limb fixation, proper electrode placement using high quality electrodes, and keeping the animal warm and consistently anesthetized over the course of the experiment. Implementation of these techniques helped Dr. Christ’s students gain comfort and proficiency with the experiments and techniques involved.

RESULTS

Dr. Christ is still using the equipment in his new lab at the University of Virginia and the equipment has been used to help him publish novel work in the field of biomaterials as they apply to regenerative medicine. Additionally, the techniques learned continue to be used by a future generation of graduate students keen to carry on this exciting research.

Select References

Martin, Vincent et al. “Whey proteins are more efficient than casein in the recovery of muscle functional properties following a casting induced muscle atrophy.” PLoS ONE (2013) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075408
Hwee, Darren T. et al. “The small-molecule fast skeletal troponin activator, CK-2127107, improves exercise tolerance in a rat model of heart failure.” The Journal of Pharmocology and Experimental Therapeutics (2015) DOI: 10.1124/jpet.114.222224
Holwerda, Andrew M. and Marius Locke. “Hsp25 and Hsp72 content in rat skeletal muscle following controlled shortening and lengthening contractions.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism (2014) DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2014-0118
Cheng et al. “Fast skeletal muscle troponin activator CK-2066260 increases fatigue resistance by reducing the energetic cost of muscle contraction” The Journal of Physiology (2019) DOI: 10.1113/JP278235
Receno et al. “Effects of Prolonged Dietary Curcumin Exposure on Skeletal Muscle Biochemical and Functional Responses of Aged Male Rats” International Journal of Molecular Science (2019) DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051178
Oyster, Nick et al. “Characterization of a compartment syndrome-like injury model.” Muscle & Nerve (2015) DOI: 10.1002/mus.24461
Corona, Benjamin T. et al. “Autologous minced muscle grafts: a tissue engineering therapy for the volumetric loss of skeletal muscle.” American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology (2013) DOI: 10.1038/s41420-018-0027-8
DeRuisseau, Keith C. et al “Aging-related changes in the iron status of skeletal muscle.” Experimental Gerontology (2013) DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2013.08.011
Russell, Alan J. et al. “Activation of fast skeletal muscle troponin as a potential therapeutic approach for treating neuromuscular diseases.” Nature Medicine (2012) DOI: 10.1038/nm.2618
Segales et al. “Sestrin prevents atrophy of disused and aging muscles by integrating anabolic and catabolic signals” Nature communications (2020) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13832-9

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Specifications

Apparatus	806D
Limb Platform Dimensions [mm]	82.5 W x 89 L
Animal Platform Dimensions [mm]	190 W x 305 L
Platform Horizontal Movement [mm]	225
Lever System¹ Movement [mm]	Vertical: 41 Side-to-side: 125
Resting Tension Adjustment [mm]	±10
Tension Travel per Knob Rotation [mm]	Course: 20 Fine: 2.6
Limb Clamp Fixation	25 mounting locations