Muscle anisotropy of the respiratory pump

Baylor College Of Medicine, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

CBET-0650686 Boriek The central hypothesis of this research is that normal diaphragm muscle tissue is anisotropic (stiffer in transverse than longitudinal direction) and this structure is: (a) mediated by desmin intermediate filaments, and (b) important to normal energy-efficient function of the diaphragm. Further, desmin may help the muscle cells to distinguish and respond differently to longitudinal and transverse strains. These questions will be answered by analyzing both normal and desmin knock-out tissue. This project seeks to understand how cytoskeletal elements and mechanotransductive signaling mechanisms in oriented tissues give rise to anisotropy of both mechanical properties and mechanical responses in muscle tissue. These are important fundamental studies that will have broad implication on how musculoskeletal tissues are organized and tuned to sense and respond to their mechanical environment. The proposed studies involve two thrusts: experimental mechanics, and molecular cell biology. The proposed research includes several innovative aspects such as applying more physiologic, biaxial loading to diaphragm tissue and proposing the idea of directional mechanotransduction in the respiratory pump. This research will advance the understanding of respiratory pump function as well as directional mechanotransduction. The project integrates the fields of micromechanics, mechanotransduction, and respiratory physiology. In addition, this project will enhance training of graduate students, medical students, and through a summer program (SMART) undergraduate students interested in bioengineering research. Some of these trainees will certainly be drawn from the underrepresented minority population.