Berlin 2024 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 14: Poster IIa
BP 14.13: Poster
Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 18:00–20:30, Poster E
Small tissues, big opportunities: versatile applications of a new muscle tissue chamber — •Bruno Schmelz1, Mattias Luber1, Polina Malova1, Till Münker1, Arne Hofemeier2, and Timo Betz1 — 1Third Institue of Physics, Göttingen, Germany — 2University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
Tension and mechanical properties of skeletal muscle tissue are tightly related to its functionality, which makes experimental access to the biomechanics of muscle tissue a key requirement to advance our understanding of muscle function, development and diseases. Recently devised in vitro culture chambers allow for raising 3D muscle tissues under controlled conditions and measuring the global tissue force generation. However, PDMS-based systems are inherently incompatible with high resolution microscopy used for fluorescence-based investigation methods for live and dynamic measurements and absorb small molecules, including many active substances that need to be applied in small yet specific amounts. A recently introduced chamber design blazed a trail for real-time high resolution 3D microscopy during muscle formation and, simultaneously, enabled non-invasive quantification of global contractile forces via post deflection analysis. Here we show the versatility of the chamber design by inhibiting the cellular contractility using Cytochalasin D and Blebbistatin. While this largely reduced the force generation, some electrical stimulation of the tissue remained in the Cytochalasin D situation. This suggests either partial protection of the actin from depolymerization or additional effects that lead to voltage-initiated post-deflection.
Keywords: tissue engineering; electrical stimulation; force measurements; contractile suppression; cytoskeleton