In vivo sarcomere imaging and fiber tension measurements

Current work demonstrates a new method and a new device for simultaneous in vivo measurements of sarcomere imaging and fiber tension. Sarcomere, a building block of muscles, plays a critical role in muscle contraction. In the pathological conditions, the biomechanical properties of sarcomere and muscle fibers may be altered significantly. We developed a novel methodology by combining the optical image capture system with force measurement which allowed us to investigate the muscle cell properties in vivo under monitored/controlled tension. The methodology was validated in an in vivo rat model as well as using an in vitro corroboration setup. The in vivo evaluation provides us a powerful tool to investigate pathological changes of fibers/sarcomeres and help determine proper treatment.