Using physiologically-based models to predictin vivoskeletal muscle energetics

Abstract

AbstractUnderstanding how muscles use energy is essential for elucidating the role of skeletal muscle in animal locomotion. Yet, experimental measures ofin vivomuscle energetics are challenging to obtain, so physiologically-based muscle models are often used to estimate energy use. These predictions of individual muscle energy expenditure are not often compared to indirect whole body measures of energetic cost. Here, we examined and illustrated the capability of physiologically-based muscle models to predictin vivomeasures of energy use. To improve model predictions and ensure a physiological basis for model parameters, we refined our model to include data from isolated muscle experiments. Simulations were performed to capture three different experimental protocols, which involved varying contraction frequency, duty cycle, and muscle fascicle length. Our results demonstrated that these models are able capture the general features of whole body energetics across contractile conditions, but tended to under predict the magnitude of energetic cost. Our analysis revealed that when predictingin vivoenergetic rates across contractile conditions, the model was most sensitive to the force-velocity parameters and the data informing the energetic rates when predictingin vivoenergetic rates across contractile conditions. This work highlights it is the mechanics of skeletal muscle contraction that govern muscle energy use.