Spatial Scale and Structural Heterogeneity in Skeletal Muscle Performance

Biological movement is an inherently dynamic process, characterized by large spatiotemporal variations in force and mechanical energy. Molecular level interactions between the contractile proteins actin and myosin do work, generating forces and transmitting them to the environment via the muscle's and supporting tissues' complex structures. Most existing theories of muscle contraction are derived from observations of muscle performance under simple, tightly controlled, in vitro or in situ conditions. These theories provide predictive power that falls off as we examine the more complicated action and movement regimes seen in biological movement. Our early and heavy focus on actin and myosin interactions have lead us to overlook other interactions and sources of force regulation. It increasingly appears that the structural heterogeneity, and micro-to-macro spatial scales of the force transmission pathways that exist between actin and myosin and the environment, determine muscle performance in ways that manifest most clearly under the dynamic conditions occurring during biological movement. Considering these interactions, along with the dynamics of force transmission tissues, actuators, and environmental physics have enriched our understanding of biological motion and force generation. This symposium brings together diverse investigators to consolidate our understanding of the role of spatial scale and structural heterogeneity role in muscle performance, with the hope of updating frameworks for understanding muscle contraction and predicting muscle performance in biological movement.