Biopharma Insights We describe an in vivo protocol to measure dorsiflexion of the foot following stimulation of the peroneal nerve and contraction of the anterior crural compartment of the rat hindlimb. Such measurements are an indispensable translational tool for evaluating skeletal muscle pathology and tissue engineering approaches to muscle repair and regeneration.
Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~1-2 hours per rat
Model organism
Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Biosafety
BSL-1
Steps
1
Prepare and position anesthetized rat
Set up the rat in proper position for tibialis anterior assessment, ensuring appropriate anesthesia and stabilization of the hindlimb for electrode placement and functional testing.
▶ 01:11
2
Place stimulating and recording electrodes
Position electrodes on the peroneal nerve and anterior crural compartment to enable electrical stimulation and measurement of dorsiflexion response during muscle contraction.
▶ 02:57
3
Analyze normal and abnormal tetanic curves
Stimulate the peroneal nerve and record dorsiflexion measurements to generate tetanic contraction curves, then compare results against normal baseline patterns to assess muscle function.
▶ 05:15
💬 Comments coming soon
New protocols and pitfalls, in your inbox
A short email when we add notable lab videos and failure cases. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.