A new model for the immobilization of the rat hind limb

Abstract

An alternative device for the immobilization of the hind limb of the rat was developed to study the effects of chronic disuse on the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles, maintained for 3 weeks in the shortening and the stretching positions, respectively. The proposed device is made of steel mesh and cotton materials, and has some advantages when compared to cast or plaster cast: it is cheaper, lighter (12 g or 4% of the body weight of the rat) and the same unit can be easily adjusted and used several times in the same animal or in animals of similar size. Immobilization is also useful to restrain the movements of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Male rats (291 ± 35 g and aged 14 ± 2 weeks) were used to develop and test the model. The soleus muscle of 18 rats was maintained in a shortened position for 21 consecutive days and lost 19 ± 7% of its length (P = 0.008) and 44 ± 6% of its weight (P = 0.002) compared to the contralateral intact muscle. No difference (P = 0.67) was found in the stretched tibialis anterior of the same hind limb when compared to the contralateral muscle. No ulcer, sore or foot swelling was observed in the animals. Immobilization was effective in producing chronic muscle disuse in the hind limbs of rats and is an acceptable alternative to the traditional methods of immobilization such as cast or plaster cast.

Life in the Slow Lane: The Effect of Reduced Mobility on Tadpole Limb Development

“…Muscular hypodevelopment may also account for the slightly relaxed positions of the forelimbs and the distal, lateral deflection of the tail. A relaxed body lacking muscular tone was reported in paralyzed chick embryos by Pitsillides (2006), and is commensurate with the results of Coutinho et al (2002) in immobilized limb muscles of rats.…”

“…The four main effects that are observed in tadpoles can be recognized in amniotes such as birds (chick embryos: Sullivan, 1966;Murray and Drachman, 1969;Hall, 1975;Hall and Herring, 1990;Quin et al, 1998;Pitsillides, 2006), and mammals (rat embryos: Quinn et al, 1998;Coutinho et al, 2002;Kahn, 2009). Based on these data (Fig.…”

Exercício excêntrico e alongamento para músculos flexores plantares aplicados durante 21 dias após imobilização não modificam o tecido não contrátil

“…Only few studies investigated the response of the intramuscular connective tissue regarding the interventions of disuse and rehabilitation [1][2][3][4] . Coutinho et al 14 noted that after four weeks of immobilization, there was disorganization and reduction of the aggregation state of collagen bundles for the soleus muscle.…”

“…Control groups of 10 and 21 days were used for a comparison paired by age with the trained groups. For immobilization, the animals were anesthetized in advance (Ketamine-95 mg/kg and Xylazina-12 mg/kg), the right tibiotarsal joint was placed in maximum plantar flexion and a device composed of a lined structure of steel anatomically accompanied the restriction of the right lower limb 14,15 .…”

Effect of tibiotarsal joint inflammation on gene expression and cross-sectional area in rat soleus muscle

“…The animals from the Inflammation and Sham groups were injected with ι-carrageenan or saline solution, respectively, into the right tibiotarsal joint. Joint inflammation was induced with 0.03 ml of 3% ι-carrageenan (Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, USA) dissolved in saline solution (0.9% NaCl), as described by Wang et al 28 and Omote et al 29 In the immobilization group the right tibiotarsal was immobilized according to Coutinho et al 30 in a neutral position.…”