Bio-X Researchers Use Needle-thin Probe To Get First Look At Working Muscle Fiber

Sarcomeres are key microscopic elements of muscle fiber. Examining them typically requires a painful muscle biopsy that does not offer the opportunity to see the sarcomeres at work within the body. The Stanford microendoscopy technique provides a real-time view of contracting sarcomeres. This should prove useful in understanding how muscles are altered by spinal cord injuries or strokes, as well as muscular dystrophy and other diseases of diminished muscular control.