Center for Muscle Biology

Latest Publications

Automated Image Analysis of Skeletal Muscle Fiber Cross-Sectional Area.
Skeletal Muscle Fiber Cross-Sectional Area. J Appl Physiol. 2012 Nov 8. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 23139362.
J. MULA • J.D. LEE • F. LIU • L. YANG  • CA PETERSON
(Full Abstract)

Abstract
Morphological characteristics of muscle fibers, such as fiber size, are critical factors that determine the health and function of the muscle. However, at this time, quantification of muscle fiber cross-sectional area is still a manual or, at best, a semi-automated process. This process is labor intensive, time consuming and prone to errors, leading to high inter-observer variability. We have developed and validated an automatic image segmentation algorithm and compared it directly to commercially available semi-automatic software currently considered state-of-the-art. The proposed automatic segmentation algorithm was evaluated against a semi-automatic method with manual annotation using 35 randomly selected cross-sectional muscle histochemical images. The proposed algorithm begins with ridge detection to enhance the muscle fiber boundaries, followed by robust seed detection based on concave area identification to find initial seeds for muscle fibers. The final muscle fiber boundaries are automatically delineated using a gradient vector flow (GVF) deformable model. Our automatic approach is accurate and represents a significant advancement in efficiency; quantification of fiber area in muscle cross-sections was reduced from 25-40 minutes/image to 15 seconds/image, while accommodating common quantification obstacles including morphological variation (e.g. heterogeneity in fiber size and fibrosis) and technical artifacts (e.g. processing defects and poor staining quality). Automatic quantification of muscle fiber cross-sectional area using the proposed method is a powerful tool that will increase sensitivity, objectivity, and efficiency in measuring muscle adaptation.

 

Satellite cell depletion does not inhibit adult skeletal muscle regrowth following unloading-induced atrophy
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol October 15, 2012 303:C854-C861; published ahead of print August 15, 2012, doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00207.2012s
JANNA R. JACKSON • JYOTHI MULA • TYLER J. KIRBY  • CHRISTOPHER S. FRY  • JONAH D. LEE • MARGO F. UBELE  • KENNETH S. CAMPBELL  • JOHN J. MCCARTHY  • CHARLOTTE A. PETERSON • ESTHER E. DUPONT-VERSTEEGDEN
(Full Abstract)

Serotonin and Synaptic Transmission at Invertebrate Neuromuscular Junctions
Exp Neurobiol. 2012 Sep;21(3):101-112. Published online 2012 September 7.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5607/en.2012.21.3.101
WEN-HUI WU • ROBIN L. COOPER
(Full Abstract)

Hip Strengthening Prior to Functional Exercises Reduces Pain Sooner Than Quadriceps Strengthening in Females With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011;41(8):560-570. Epub 2011 Jun 7;
KIMBERLY L. DOLAK, MS, ATC1 • CARRIE SILKMAN, MSEd, ATC • JENNIFER MEDINA MCKEON, PhD, ATC, CSCS, ROBERT G. HOSEY, MD • CHRISTIAN LATTERMANN, MD • TIMOTHY L. UHL, PT, PhD, ATC
(Full Abstract)

Smooth muscle-specific expression of calcium-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2β) participates in the initiation and early progression of vascular inflammation and neointima formation.
J Biol Chem. 2012 Jul 13;287(29):24739-53
Liu S, Xie Z, Zhao Q, Pang H, Turk J, Calderon L, Su W, Zhao G, Xu H, Gong MC, Guo Z

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