Stretch-induced relaxation has not been clearly identified in gastrointestinal tract. The present study is to explore the role of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BKCa) in stretch-induced relaxation of colon. The expression and currents of BKCa were detected and the basal muscle tone and contraction amplitude of colonic smooth muscle strips were measured. The expression o...

In striated muscle, the structural genes associated with muscle fiber phenotype determination as well as muscle mass accretion are regulated largely by mechanical stimuli. Passive stretch of skeletal muscle stimulates muscle growth/hypertrophy and an increased expression of slow muscle genes. We previously identified Ankyrin repeat-domain protein (Ankrd2) as a novel transcript expressed in fast...

The mechanical properties of demembranated muscle fibres of synchronous flight muscle from a dragonfly Libellula quadrimaculata, asynchronous flight muscle from the giant waterbug Lethocerus indicus and synchronous psoas muscle from rabbit were compared in relaxed, active and rigor conditions. The properties were compared to the known structure and protein compositions of these muscles. We foun...

Introduction Intervention to lengthen the musculotendinous unit, or to reduce its activity, are commonly performed in children with cerebral palsy (CP) with joint passive range being used as a surrogate outcome measure of musculotendinous unit length. The development of muscle deformity in children with CP is often attributed to spasticity, which has been defined variably as a velocity-dependen...

The neuromuscular adaptations in response to muscle stretch training have not been clearly described. In the present study, changes in muscle (at fascicular and whole muscle levels) and tendon mechanics, muscle activity, and spinal motoneuron excitability were examined during standardized plantar flexor stretches after 3 wk of twice daily stretch training (4 × 30 s). No changes were observed in...

The relationship between local fibre stretch velocity (mechanical input) and the corresponding local reflex electromyographic (EMG) amplitude (a measure of the neural output) was assessed to determine the contribution of muscle spindle feedback in postural control. We hypothesized that traditionally measured input variables (e.g., the velocity of an external movement or whole muscle velocity) m...

The purpose of this study was to investigate if force enhancement (FE) in vivo is influenced by stretch-induced changes of muscle architecture. Therefore, 18 subjects performed maximum voluntary isometric (100 degree knee flexion angle) and isometric-eccentric-isometric stretch contractions (80 degrees-100 degrees; ω=60 degrees.s(-1)) whereby pennation angle and fascicle length of vastus latera...

We utilized an in vitro adult mouse extensor digitorum longus (EDL) nerve-attached preparation to characterize the responses of muscle spindle afferents to ramp-and-hold stretch and sinusoidal vibratory stimuli. Responses were measured at both room (24°C) and muscle body temperature (34°C). Muscle spindle afferent static firing frequencies increased linearly in response to increasing stretch le...