Integrated Muscle-Tendon Function in Frog Jumping

青蛙跳跃的生物力学研究有可能为脊椎动物肌肉骨骼系统的机械设计提供关键的见解。青蛙向空中发射出一股机械爆发力，这真的很了不起。在许多物种中，一次跳跃产生的峰值功率远远超过骨骼肌的发电能力。有人提出，这种差异可以用一种放大肌肉力量的弹性机制来解释，但这种机制还没有被直接观察到，也没有被很好地理解。更好地理解青蛙跳跃中产生动力的肌肉之间的相互作用和弹性元素的作用，可能有助于确定控制肌肉和肌腱在运动中互补功能的规则。在这个项目中，将使用一些生物力学技术来研究跳跃中使用的弹性机制。根据骨骼杠杆系统的定义，肌肉杠杆臂的动态变化在促进弹性肌腱中能量的有效储存和释放方面发挥着关键作用。肌腱的弹性拉伸和回缩通过将肌束缩短与身体运动分离来改善肌肉性能的假设也将得到测试。这项工作有可能为脊椎动物骨骼肌的保守特性如何塑造陆生脊椎动物肌腱、骨骼和运动姿势的机械设计提供基本的见解。该项目的更广泛影响包括当地高中教师对研究项目的参与。在实验室为期七周的实习期间，教师将利用他们的研究经验来开发课程模块和课程改进，以帮助将研究的兴奋带回课堂。该项目还将包括研究生和博士后助理的培训，并代表了生物学和工程学原理的结合。

Biomechanical studies of frog jumping have the potential to provided key insights into the mechanical design of the vertebrate musculoskeletal system. Frogs launch themselves into the air with a burst of mechanical power that is truly remarkable. In many species, the peak power produced in a jump greatly exceeds the power-producing capacity of skeletal muscle. It has been proposed that this discrepancy is explained by an elastic mechanism that amplifies muscle power, but this mechanism has not been observed directly and it is not well understood. A better understanding of the interaction between power-producing muscles and the action of elastic elements in frog jumping may help define rules that govern the complementary function of muscles and tendons in locomotion. In this project, the elastic mechanism used in jumping will be investigated with a number of biomechanical techniques. It is expected that dynamic changes in muscle lever arms, as defined by skeletal lever systems, play a critical role in facilitating the effective storage and release of energy in elastic tendons. The hypothesis that the elastic stretch and recoil of tendons improves muscle performance by uncoupling muscle fascicle shortening from movements of the body will also be tested. This work has the potential to provide fundamental insights into how the conservative properties of vertebrate skeletal muscle may have shaped the mechanical design of tendons, bones and locomotor posture in terrestrial vertebrates. The broader impacts of this project include the participation of local area high school teachers in the research project. During seven-week internships in the laboratory, teachers will use their research experience to develop course modules and curricular enhancements to help bring the excitement of research back to the classroom. This project will also include the training of graduate students and postdoctoral associates, and represents an integration of Biology and Engineering principles.