TY - JOUR
T1 - The MyoRobot : a novel automated biomechatronics system to assess voltage/Ca2+ biosensors and active/passive biomechanics in muscle and biomaterials
AU - Haug. M., Michael
AU - Reischl. B., Barbara
AU - Prölß, G.
AU - Pollmann, C.
AU - Buckert, T.
AU - Keidel, C.
AU - Schürmann, S.
AU - Hock, M.
AU - Rupitsch, S.
AU - Heckel, M.
AU - Pöschel, T.
AU - Scheibel, T.
AU - Haynl, C.
AU - Kiriaev, L.
AU - Head, S. I.
AU - Friedrich, O.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - We engineered an automated biomechatronics system, MyoRobot, for robust objective and versatile assessment of muscle or polymer materials (bio-)mechanics. It covers multiple levels of muscle biosensor assessment, e.g. membrane voltage or contractile apparatus Ca2+ ion responses (force resolution 1 µN, 0–10 mN for the given sensor; [Ca2+] range ~ 100 nM–25 µM). It replaces previously tedious manual protocols to obtain exhaustive information on active/passive biomechanical properties across various morphological tissue levels. Deciphering mechanisms of muscle weakness requires sophisticated force protocols, dissecting contributions from altered Ca2+ homeostasis, electro-chemical, chemico-mechanical biosensors or visco-elastic components. From whole organ to single fibre levels, experimental demands and hardware requirements increase, limiting biomechanics research potential, as reflected by only few commercial biomechatronics systems that can address resolution, experimental versatility and mostly, automation of force recordings. Our MyoRobot combines optical force transducer technology with high precision 3D actuation (e.g. voice coil, 1 µm encoder resolution; stepper motors, 4 µm feed motion), and customized control software, enabling modular experimentation packages and automated data pre-analysis. In small bundles and single muscle fibres, we demonstrate automated recordings of (i) caffeine-induced-, (ii) electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced force, (iii) pCa-force, (iv) slack-tests and (v) passive length-tension curves. The system easily reproduces results from manual systems (two times larger stiffness in slow over fast muscle) and provides novel insights into unloaded shortening velocities (declining with increasing slack lengths). The MyoRobot enables automated complex biomechanics assessment in muscle research. Applications also extend to material sciences, exemplarily shown here for spider silk and collagen biopolymers.
AB - We engineered an automated biomechatronics system, MyoRobot, for robust objective and versatile assessment of muscle or polymer materials (bio-)mechanics. It covers multiple levels of muscle biosensor assessment, e.g. membrane voltage or contractile apparatus Ca2+ ion responses (force resolution 1 µN, 0–10 mN for the given sensor; [Ca2+] range ~ 100 nM–25 µM). It replaces previously tedious manual protocols to obtain exhaustive information on active/passive biomechanical properties across various morphological tissue levels. Deciphering mechanisms of muscle weakness requires sophisticated force protocols, dissecting contributions from altered Ca2+ homeostasis, electro-chemical, chemico-mechanical biosensors or visco-elastic components. From whole organ to single fibre levels, experimental demands and hardware requirements increase, limiting biomechanics research potential, as reflected by only few commercial biomechatronics systems that can address resolution, experimental versatility and mostly, automation of force recordings. Our MyoRobot combines optical force transducer technology with high precision 3D actuation (e.g. voice coil, 1 µm encoder resolution; stepper motors, 4 µm feed motion), and customized control software, enabling modular experimentation packages and automated data pre-analysis. In small bundles and single muscle fibres, we demonstrate automated recordings of (i) caffeine-induced-, (ii) electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced force, (iii) pCa-force, (iv) slack-tests and (v) passive length-tension curves. The system easily reproduces results from manual systems (two times larger stiffness in slow over fast muscle) and provides novel insights into unloaded shortening velocities (declining with increasing slack lengths). The MyoRobot enables automated complex biomechanics assessment in muscle research. Applications also extend to material sciences, exemplarily shown here for spider silk and collagen biopolymers.
KW - biopolymers
KW - biosensors
KW - elasticity
KW - mechatronics
KW - musculoskeletal system
UR - http://handle.westernsydney.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:44623
U2 - 10.1016/j.bios.2017.12.003
DO - 10.1016/j.bios.2017.12.003
M3 - Article
SN - 0956-5663
VL - 102
SP - 589
EP - 599
JO - Biosensors and Bioelectronics
JF - Biosensors and Bioelectronics
ER -