Myograph systems for striated muscle are the newest additions to the DMT product line and further models are actively in development. Our goal is to provide researchers with specialized, high quality research instruments as well as multi-chamber screening systems. In these systems, strips of muscle are clamped between a mounting support and a force transducer.

Striated muscle, in contrast to smooth muscle, typically requires an electrical current or excitation to initiate contraction and these muscles operate at optimized length-tension relationships. The contractions are often much faster than those found in smooth muscle and require high-fidelity yet rugged force transducers. On the analysis side, the contractions are often transient and specialty software is needed to analyze the transient tissue response for both contraction and relaxation parameters.

DMT allows for a variety of mounting options in these systems. Some of the options are in fact based upon custom requests from researchers. Striated muscle such as cardiac and skeletal muscle can be studied in combination with good current stimulators that can deliver enough power to reproducibly excite these tissues. The 800MS/CS200 combination is an example of such a system. 

There is also much research into the molecular basis of muscle contraction at the protein level of actin-myosin interaction. Measurement of force in a skinned muscle preparation is then the preferred method to allow investigator control over the environment and composition of the contractile unit. The measured forces are then much smaller and require special transducers.

DMT Muscle Strip Systems

This newest quickly expanding line of myograph systems is aimed at measuring the myo-mechanical properties of strips of solid muscle. These include skeletal and cardiac muscle and larger pieces of smooth muscle. The tissue is held by clamps that can be custom made to match the customer's wishes. Inherent to striated muscle is the need for reliable electrical current stimulation. The DMT stimulators are designed to provide this reliable current source. Current developments in this line of products also include systems for "skinned" strips and rings of muscle and integration with imaging technologies. Ask us for the many add-on solutions that DMT can provide to meet your research needs.