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Related Concept Videos

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Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
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Skeletal muscles are composed of a bundle of muscle fibers and are attached to bones through tendons. Each skeletal muscle fiber is a single muscle cell. The sarcolemma, the plasma membrane of a skeletal muscle cell, consists of a lipid bilayer and glycocalyx that supports muscle fibers. The sarcolemma extends into the muscle cells to form tubular structures called transverse or T-tubules. Each side of the T-tubules consists of a membrane-bound structure called the sarcoplasmic reticulum,...
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Two primary types of muscle contractions are isotonic and isometric, each serving unique functions and involving distinct mechanisms. Both isotonic and isometric contractions are integral to the body's complex system of movement and stability. Isotonic exercises contribute significantly to functional strength and movement, while isometric contractions are crucial for maintaining posture and joint stability.
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Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Evaluation of Muscle Function of the Extensor Digitorum Longus Muscle Ex vivo and Tibialis Anterior Muscle In situ in Mice
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Passive skeletal muscle can function as an osmotic engine.

Ethan S Wold1, David A Sleboda2, Thomas J Roberts3

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.

Biology Letters
|March 3, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Increasing fluid within passive muscles causes them to shorten and do work, contrary to typical tissue behavior. This highlights the importance of fluid-extracellular matrix interactions in muscle mechanics.

Keywords:
Mckibben actuatorbiomechanicsextracellular matrixmuscle shape change

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Area of Science:

  • Muscle Physiology
  • Biomechanics
  • Biomaterials Science

Background:

  • Skeletal muscles are complex composite structures involving intracellular fluid and extracellular collagen.
  • Mechanical interactions between intracellular fluid and extracellular collagen are crucial for passive muscle force generation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the prediction that increased fluid volume in passive muscles drives forceful muscle shortening.
  • To investigate if muscle fluid expansion can produce mechanical work independent of contractile activity.

Main Methods:

  • Isolated bullfrog semimembranosus muscles were exposed to osmotically hypotonic bathing solutions to increase intracellular fluid volume.
  • Muscle dimensional changes (widening and shortening) and work production were measured using a force-regulated servomotor.

Main Results:

  • Passive muscles increased in width by 16.44 ± 3.66% due to fluid uptake.
  • Muscles concurrently shortened by 2.13 ± 0.75%, performing measurable mechanical work.
  • Observed shortening contradicts expected isotropic tissue behavior under internal pressurization.

Conclusions:

  • Muscle fluid expansion can induce significant muscle shortening and mechanical work production.
  • This phenomenon suggests a functional mechanism analogous to pneumatic actuators in engineered systems.
  • Highlights the critical role of three-dimensional force transmission and fluid-extracellular matrix interactions in skeletal muscle function.