There is a way to make human muscles stronger

Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a way to measure the force generated

contractile myotubes, precursorsskeletal muscle fibers. Current methods rely on muscle mass or the expression of certain proteins, which are not as strongly correlated with muscle strength. Accurate measurement of myotube strength promises more effective drug screening for muscle atrophy.

Muscle atrophy, deterioration of muscletissue, can have a devastating effect on quality of life and affect life expectancy. This effect is especially strong in old age. This makes the treatment and prevention of muscle wasting a key issue for society.

But therapies for muscle atrophy remainvery limited. One of the problems holding researchers back is the lack of an effective screening system for new drug targets, in particular how different compounds affect muscle strength.

Now a research team led byAssociate Professor Yasuko Manabe of Tokyo Metropolitan University came up with a simple way to directly measure myotube strength. They looked at myotubes mounted on a two-layer elastic silicone backing, with a hard surface layer on top of a thicker, softer layer. When the myotubes were stimulated with an electrical impulse, the team saw that the fibers contracted and deformed the surface of the substrate, forming a series of wrinkles that were clearly visible under a microscope. Through careful calibration experiments using a flexible needle of known stiffness, they were able to demonstrate that the total length of the wrinkles is directly correlated with the strength of the forces that deform the substrate.

Using known atrophic (weaker) andhypertrophic (stronger) myotubes, they found that their new "strength index" was much more sensitive to muscle strength than existing measures such as muscle mass and myosin heavy chain (MHC) protein expression. The method is easy to apply using standard methods of microscopy and image analysis, which opens up wide possibilities for practical applications in the laboratory. The team believes that this will greatly accelerate the search for drugs in the fight against muscle wasting.

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