Mechanical Effects of Induced Changes in the Extracellular Matrix of Visceral Smooth Muscle Tissues

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IBN 9904610MeissThe solid tissues that make up the body of an animal consist of cells held together by connective tissue called the extracellular matrix. This matrix allows tissues to hold their shape and prevents them from being damaged by external forces such as stretching or tearing. The extracellular matrix is especially important in smooth muscle tissue. This type of muscle is responsible for moving food through the digestive tract, for delivering a baby, for controlling the flow of air in the lungs, and a host of other vital processes. In smooth muscle tissues, the connections from cell to cell and throughout the tissue (the extracellular matrix) carry the force exerted by billions of muscle cells. When individual cells contract, the matrix combines their forces into an overall muscle response which lets it carry out its function in the body.Despite their importance relatively little is known about the details of these connections and how they influence the way a tissue works. When the integrity of the matrix is disturbed, changes in function can result. In this study, the matrix of smooth muscle tissues from the windpipe and uterus (of dogs and rats) will be subjected to the action of enzymes or natural processes that change its physical structure. Precise mechanical measurements will be made of these changes, and electron microscopy will be used to examine the fine details. Mathematical analysis of the experimental data will be used to provide an overall picture of smooth muscle function.Learning more about the links between cells and overall muscle function will allow better understanding of vital processes such as labor and delivery, control of breathing, and other important functions, and it will give added insight into the many muscle-based processes that are necessary for daily life.