How some muscles keep working longer
New mechanisms behind skeletal muscle endurance
['FUNDING_R01'] · RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · NIH-11252618
This research looks at a natural muscle response called stretch activation to learn how it helps muscles keep producing force for people with muscle weakness or contractures.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (TROY, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11252618 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying a process called stretch activation, a delayed boost in force after a muscle is quickly stretched, to see how it helps muscles resist fatigue. They will measure this effect in isolated and live mouse muscle fibers and use insights from fruit fly experiments to compare slow and fast muscle types. Experiments will include conditions that mimic prolonged use, like higher phosphate levels, and will probe myosin-based molecular mechanisms that might explain the effect. The goal is to link these basic findings to conditions where muscles lose endurance or develop contractures.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by chronic muscle fatigue, inherited contracture disorders such as arthrogryposis, or conditions linked to reduced muscle endurance may be most interested in following this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose problems are caused primarily by nerve damage, metabolic disorders unrelated to muscle contractile mechanisms, or non-muscle causes of fatigue may not directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to preserve or restore muscle endurance and help people with muscle weakness, contractures, or related cardiac problems.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal work, including studies in fruit flies and mice, has hinted that stretch activation matters for muscle function, but the specific mechanisms in mammalian skeletal muscle are largely novel and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
TROY, UNITED STATES
- RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE — TROY, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SWANK, DOUGLAS M — RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- Study coordinator: SWANK, DOUGLAS M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.