Muscle fibre mechanical testing apparatus

这笔RTI赠款的目的是获得一种肌肉纤维机械测试设备，该设备可以在评估肌节运动学的同时进行机械测试。该系统设计用于连续测量肌肉细胞在收缩过程中的力、硬度和结构变化。单一肌肉纤维是实现申请者集体研究目标的理想准备，因为单一肌肉纤维允许在肌肉的机械、结构和生化特性之间进行直接比较。高速肌节长度监测将使研究收缩过程中的内在结构特性成为可能，这些特性通常只在静止时(即收缩之前或之后)进行研究。获得这一基础设施对于申请者的NSERC支持的研究项目取得最佳成功是绝对必要的。 这份RTI拨款申请上的四个私人投资机构在圭尔夫大学开展富有成效的研究项目。他们的课程跨越多维尺度，从全身到组织和细胞水平的力学和生理学，包括基本的、应用的和翻译的方法。目前，由于缺乏适当的主动收缩单纤维测试系统，这些研究人员研究肌肉结构和功能的能力受到阻碍。因此，所需的肌肉纤维机械测试仪器将确保每个PIS实验室的重大发展。具体地说，这一系统的获得将使PI能够回答与以下相关的基本问题：1.骨骼(例如脊柱)机械性能和肌肉收缩功能之间的相互关系；2.调节肌肉血流的机制和对肌肉机械功能的影响；3.调节肌丝收缩功能的分子途径；以及4.控制与年龄有关的肌肉机械功能变化的机制。如果没有这种基础设施，这些问题就不能得到充分的追问。 新的基础设施提供了在同一部门研究各种准备(例如骨骼肌、平滑肌、心肌)和研究问题的复杂肌肉收缩特性的机会，在加拿大的一家机构提供了独特的培训体验。凭借申请者良好的HQP培训记录，该系统的需求量将非常高，将用于培训HQP的所有职业阶段，使他们完美地适应当今竞争激烈的学术和行业环境。申请者的联合研究项目将使圭尔夫大学和加拿大大学成为快速增长的跨学科肌肉研究领域的领先研究前沿。

The purpose of this RTI grant is to acquire a muscle fibre mechanical testing apparatus that allows for mechanical testing simultaneous with evaluation of sarcomere kinematics. This system is designed for the continuous measurement of force, stiffness and structural changes in muscle cells during contraction. Single muscle fibres are the ideal preparation to achieve the applicants’ collective research goals, as single muscle fibres allow for direct comparisons to be made between mechanical, structural and biochemical properties of muscle. High speed sarcomere length monitoring will enable investigation of intrinsic structural properties during contraction which are often only investigated at rest (i.e. prior to, or following contraction). The acquisition of this infrastructure is absolutely essential for the applicants’ NSERC supported research programs to achieve optimal success. The four PIs on this RTI grant application conduct productive research programs at the University of Guelph. Their programs span multi-dimensional scales ranging from whole-body to tissue and cell-level mechanics and physiology, and include basic, applied, and translational approaches. The ability for these researchers to study the structure and function of muscle is currently prevented by the absence of an appropriate active contractile single fibre testing system. As such, the requested muscle fibre mechanical testing apparatus will ensure major developments within each of the PIs laboratories. Specifically, acquisition of this system will enable the PIs to answer fundamental questions related to: 1. inter-relationships between skeletal (e.g. spine) mechanical properties and muscle contractile function; 2. mechanisms regulating muscle blood flow and consequences for muscle mechanical function; 3. molecular pathways that regulate myofilament contractile function; and 4. mechanisms that control age-related alterations in muscle mechanical function. Without this infrastructure, these lines of questioning cannot be adequately pursued. The new infrastructure presents the opportunity to investigate intricate muscle contractile properties in the same department across a variety of preparations (e.g., skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, cardiac muscle) and research questions, providing a unique training experience at a Canadian institution. With the applicants’ strong record of HQP training, this system will be in very high demand and will be used to train HQP at all career stages, positioning them perfectly for today’s competitive academic and industrial environment. The combined research programs of the applicants will situate the University of Guelph and Canada as a leading research front in the rapidly growing field of interdisciplinary muscle-based research.