The Muscle Physiology and Biophysics Laboratory uses an array of experimental preparations to understand how muscles work at different levels of analysis.
Muscle cells are isolated from different species and tested in an experimental chamber with controlled media (solutions, pH, temperature), while force, sarcomere length and ionic activity can be measured.
Muscle myofibrils are the smallest functional units of muscles that maintain the lattice structure. Myofibrils are experimented in an inverted microscope equipped with micro-fabricated cantilevers for force measurement and a set of different cameras for sarcomere length measurements using phase-contrast images or fluorescence techniques.
Muscle sarcomeres, sub-components of myofibrils, are analyzed separately while myofibrils produce force using a mathematical algorithm that tracks movements in sarcomeric structures with high resolution.
Muscle filaments (myosin/actin) are isolated using biochemistry techniques, and are visualized and tested using fluorescent probes, while force of molecular interactions can be measured by micro-fabricated cantilevers. This preparation is currently under development in a collaborative work with Dr. Pollack (University of Washington, USA).