Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles

Ex Vivo Assessment of Contractility, Fatigability and Alternans in Isolated Skeletal Muscles

Published on: November 1, 2012

Muscle contractility of leg muscles in patients with mitochondrial myopathies

Nanna Scharff Poulsen¹, Julia Rebecka Dahlqvist¹, Gitte Hedermann¹

¹Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

|July 19, 2018

Abstract

Background:

The primary disease mechanism underlying mitochondrial myopathies (MM) is impaired energy generation to support muscle endurance. Little is known about muscle contractility before energy becomes deficient during muscle contractions. We investigated muscle contractility in MM to uncover potentially fixed weakness aspects of the disorders.

Methods:

Contractility of calf and thigh muscles was investigated by comparing strength with contractile cross-sectional area (CCSA) of the used muscles, as measured by stationary dynamometry and MRI, respectively.

Results And Discussion:

Our findings suggest reduced contractile properties in thigh and calf muscles of patients with MM.

More Related Videos

Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations

Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations

Published on: January 25, 2018

Procedures for Rat in situ Skeletal Muscle Contractile Properties

Procedures for Rat in situ Skeletal Muscle Contractile Properties

Published on: October 15, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Muscles that Move the Leg

Muscles that Move the Leg

The movement of the legs is facilitated by numerous muscles located within the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments of the thigh.
Anterior Compartment
The quadriceps femoris, the most visible muscle of the anterior compartment, is integral for leg extension and thigh flexion. It is formed by merging four distinct muscles — the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris. The quadriceps tendon, a shared tendon of the four quadriceps muscles, is affixed...

Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes

Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes

The human leg comprises an intricate system of muscles that facilitate the movement of feet and toes. Within this system, the muscles are categorized into the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments, each with a unique set of muscles carrying out specific functions.
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment includes muscles that contribute to the dorsiflexion of the foot. This compartment houses the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles....

Classification of Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Classification of Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Skeletal muscles continuously produce ATP to provide the energy that enables muscle contractions. Skeletal muscle fibers can be categorized into three types based on differences in their contraction speed and how they produce ATP, as well as physical differences related to these factors. Most human muscles contain all three muscle fiber types, albeit in varying proportions.
Slow-Twitch Muscle Fibers
Slow oxidative, muscle fibers appear red due to large numbers of capillaries and high levels of...

Muscles of the Eye

Muscles of the Eye

The muscles of the eye are sophisticated structures that control eye movement and focus, allowing for the precise and rapid adjustments necessary for vision. The human eye is controlled by ten muscles — six extraocular muscles, three intraocular muscles, and one primary eyelid retractor muscle.
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and...

Muscles that Move the Head

Muscles that Move the Head

The muscles that move the head are a dynamic and complex group of structures that work together to facilitate a wide range of head movements, including rotation, flexion, extension, and lateral bending.
The bilateral sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, and the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles are significant head flexors. The SCM muscles originate at the sternum and clavicle and attach to the mastoid process of the temporal bone. The SCM contracts bilaterally to bend the head forward, whereas...

Muscles of the Abdomen

Muscles of the Abdomen

The abdominal wall encircles the abdominal cavity, providing flexible protection and shielding the internal organs from harm. It is bordered at the top by the xiphoid process and costal margins, at the back by the vertebral column, and at the bottom by the pelvic bones and inguinal ligament. The abdominal wall is divided into two regions — the anterolateral and posterior regions.
Anterolateral Region
The anterolateral region comprises five paired muscles classified into the lateral and...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Using High-Field Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Measure Muscle Glycogen in Patients With McArdle Disease.

Muscle & nerve·2026

Exercise training in adults with neuromuscular diseases: insights from two global surveys of lived experience and clinical practice.

Neuromuscular disorders : NMD·2026

Assisted cycling in non-ambulant adults with cerebral palsy: exploratory effects and feasibility in residential care.

Journal of rehabilitation medicine·2026

Prevalence and Disability of Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia.

European journal of haematology·2026

Plasma Lactate Response to a 12-Min Walk Test Is a Poor Diagnostic Biomarker for Mitochondrial Myopathy.

JIMD reports·2026

Clinical, histopathological, and biomarker characterization of XLMTM and ADCNM: Operational lessons, screening and baseline data of the Unite-CNM study.

Journal of neuromuscular diseases·2026

See all related articles