Basic and Translational Research
A major focus of more basic work seeks to use various models to better assess the impact of disease on muscle health and function and improved methods for assessing the impact of therapies. One advantage of performing animal studies is our ability to assess a variety of therapies to see how they impact muscle and outcome measures. We have studied a number of therapies in our work, including immunomodulatory therapies, myostatin inhibitors, thyroid modulating drugs, and drugs that effect ion channel function. We provide here is a sample of some of our more recent investigations.
Figure: Healthy (right) and muscular dystrophy (left) mouse gastrocnemius muscle showing excess collagen deposition and various cell sizes in the mdx mouse muscle, the sine qua non of dystrophic muscle.
Impedance values in several different groups of young mice. Note the major changes in impedance values with increasing maturity.