Tail suspension is useful as a sarcopenia model in rats

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Skeletal muscle contraction. a Contraction of the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. b Contraction of the soleus (SOL) muscle. c Whole body tension (WBT). The twitch contraction force of EDL muscle in the TS and SHR groups were weaker than that of the control group. Similarly, those of the SOL muscle in the TS and SHR groups indicated significant reduction compared to the control group. The WBT10 in the TS and SHR groups significantly reduced compared with the control group. The data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 7 per group). SHR, spontaneously hypertensive rat; TS, tail suspension. *P < 0.05 vs control group

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  Fig. 2. The muscle fiber size; cross sectional area (CSA). a Representative histological digital images stained by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle, b Comparison of EDL muscle fiber size, c Representative histological digital images stained by HE of soleus (SOL) muscle, d Comparison of EDL muscle fiber size. The reference bar in histological images is equal to 50 μm. The CSA of EDL and SOL muscles in both TS and SHR groups were significantly smaller than that in the control group. Box-and-whisker-plots show 95% confidence interval, 25th percentiles and 75th percentiles, and medians (n = 7 per group). TS, tail suspension, SHR, spontaneously hypertensive rat, *P < 0.05 vs control group

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  Fig. 3. Muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF-1). a Concentration of MuRF-1 in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle, b Concentration of MuRF-1 in soleus (SOL) muscle. Quantitative analysis was conducted by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In both EDL and SOL muscles, there were no significant differences among three groups. The data are represented as means ± SEM (n = 5 per group). TS, tail suspension, SHR, spontaneously hypertensive rat, *P < 0.05 vs control group

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  Fig. 4. Tail suspension in this study. Pictures of tail suspension. Rats in the tail suspension group were suspended by their tail using a clip for rats. They were allowed to freely access food without touching the ground